


Even Villains Love Their Kids

by Nyx Nox (Nellis123)



Series: Ways to be Wicked [1]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies), Disney - All Media Types
Genre: Bisexual Evie (Disney), Bisexual Mal (Disney), Evie & Carlos de Vil Friendship, Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil as Found Family, Evie & Jay Friendship (Disney), Gen, Jay/Carlos de Vil-centric, Minor Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants), Minor Doug/Evie (Disney: Descendants), Minor Jay/Carlos de Vil, Protective Jay (Disney), Protective Mal (Disney), Sassy Carlos de Vil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 103,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23267488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellis123/pseuds/Nyx%20Nox
Summary: How can you define love if it was never there, to begin with?As if being uprooted from the Isle and tossed into a private school in Auradon wasn't enough, the villain kids are faced with their biggest challenge yet: Defining love and having to share what it means to them in front of Fairy Godmother during their first week of school. An easy task in theory, but there is little to say about the subject when their whole upbringing lacked any sort of signs of it.
Relationships: Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil, Jay/Carlos de Vil
Series: Ways to be Wicked [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055459
Comments: 61
Kudos: 453





	1. Partners in Crime

**Author's Note:**

> I figured being quarantined was the best time to start posting a few of my work in progress pieces. Thankfully, the new stories already have at least four chapters completed so I'll roll them out every couple of days. There WILL be references to abuse and neglect throughout this story. If that makes you uncomfortable, don't pass go or collect the $200 at the end of the chapter. I will add content warnings as needed. Cross-posted on FFN.
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

Mal held a lollipop up over her head, earning a bunch of laughter from her crew. There was a beat of silence then the majority of them took off running, leaving Jay, Evie, and Carlos standing in front of her.

She didn't need to look to know what, or who in this case, the problem was. The slightly panicked look in Carlos's eyes was enough to guess her mother was to blame. The three ahead of her shuffled closer together.

"Breathe," Jay spoke in a harsh whisper and briefly brushed his fingers against the back of Carlos' hand. The barely noticeable sign of affection was enough to cause Carlos to release the breath he was holding. Jay cast him a sideways glance then took a step away from him, standing up straight with his attention on a spot over Maleficent's shoulder. He, Evie, and Carlos went out of their way to avoid making eye contact with her.

"Mother," Mal turned on her heel and forced a grin, face to face with Maleficent and a few of her henchmen. Maleficent sneered at the four teens then took the lollipop from her daughter.

"Candy?" She scowled and dropped the sweet to the ground, crushing it beneath her boot.

"It was from a baby?" Mal offered with a nervous smile, the look faltering when her mother didn't seem impressed.

"Disappointing," Maleficent shook her head. "When I was your age, I was cursing entire kingdoms." She didn't seem to notice (or opted to ignore) the four teens that were mouthing her speech as she spoke.

Jay, Carlos, and Evie inched closer together while Mal and her mother talked, not exactly sure what to do since they hadn't been acknowledged but didn't want to leave Mal until she properly waved them off.

"Should we..?" Evie tilted her head toward the road behind them. Jay turned a little, ready to go but a loud exclamation from Maleficent caused him and the others to jump.

"Wait!" Maleficent called out. Carlos whimpered and remained still. Evie and Jay exchanged a wary glance then looked at her. They all understood the expectation that they weren't allowed to speak unless she directly spoke to them. There had been a point where she would check in with their parents if they mouthed off.

"I have news. I buried the lead," She gave a nod of her head and a few of her henchmen formed a wall behind where Evie, Jay, and Carlos stood. Mal could tell something was off. She took a few steps back toward her group.

"The four of you," She narrowed her eyes and took a moment to look each of them over with an unamused expression. "Have been chosen to attend a new school."

Maleficent allowed the looks of confusion to settle on the teens' faces before continuing. "In Auradon no less."

There was a beat of silence then Jay and Carlos went to run off, disgruntled shouts of 'no' and some curses heard from them and Evie when their paths were blocked. Evie punched the man closest to her and Jay elbowed the guy that had his arms around him, ready to tackle the one that had lifted Carlos up.

A whimper escaped from Carlos' lips. He was trembling once set back down and the others couldn't do anything about it past standing in their usual formation of Mal in the front with her arms protectively held in front of her, Carlos in the middle, and Jay and Evie on either side of him.

"I'm not going to some uppity boarding school." Mal was the first to speak. Her words were accompanied by Carlos shaking his head, Jay muttering about not wearing uniforms, and Evie excitedly gasping about princes.

"Mom's not gonna let me go," Carlos peered around Mal so he could look Maleficent in the eye. "I read there are d-dogs in Auradon. She says they eat kids if they misbehave."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow at him and Carlos gulped then ducked back behind Mal. It was the most he had ever said to her.

"You'll fit right in with them, mutt," She rolled her eyes, a chuckle escaping when Jay growled at her use of the word.

"His name is Carlos. We would prefer that you address him by his name." Mal narrowed her eyes at her mother then crossed her arms over her chest. "We aren't going."

"Watch your tone, young lady. I would have said you had a choice if intended on giving you one," Maleficent snapped. Mal rolled her eyes and stayed quiet. "Now you four, walk with me. We have a meeting with your parents. I expect you each to sell wanting to go."

Evie, Jay, Mal, and Carlos exchanged worried looks with each other. Their silence ended with Mal mouthing, 'We don't have a choice,' and the four murmuring a "Yes ma'am," before following behind her.

No one said a word on the trip to Bargain Castle. As stubborn as Jay and Mal could be, this was something they didn't want to test boundaries on. Maleficent's temper was terrifying and no one wanted to risk unleashing her inner dragon. Especially since she had only recently warmed up to Mal having Carlos and Evie around just as much as Jay.

The teens kept their heads down when they entered the castle. Maleficent led the way inside with the four following closely behind.

"There he is," The shriek caused Mal to freeze, wincing when that made Carlos and Evie bump into her. "Didn't I tell you, he doesn't listen so he isn't going. At least not until I get him to straighten out."

Carlos froze, breathing in deeply to keep control of the feeling of panic that was spreading throughout him. A quick glance around the room showed there was nowhere to hide. He released a shaky breath and risked looking in the direction Cruella's voice came from.

"Carlos," She spoke his name in a harsh whisper. "Come." He bit down hard on the inside of his lower lip to keep from whimpering, not wanting to seem weak in front of the others. His mother only ever used his name when he was in trouble and he couldn't remember what he did to earn the tone of voice she used.

Cruella smiled once Carlos was beside her, promptly reaching her left arm up to run her hand through his hair. She tugged at his curls and he made a face.

"Now, now, Ella," Maleficent clicked her tongue. "We have yet to figure out why they chose the kids they did but your pup is an essential part of my plan."

Unfortunately for Carlos, Maleficent's words caused Cruella to pause her hand, fingers clenching around his hair and pulling hard enough to cause him to cry out.

Carlos looked down at his feet, certain that the others were looking at him. They were in the habit of sticking up for him but he didn't want them thinking he was weak. Jay was the only one that knew the extent of how poorly his mother treated him.

Evie and Mal made a face at the way Cruella was treating Carlos, effectively blocking Jay from charging forward. Mal was in the habit of stepping in if things seemed too intense but she couldn't risk anything that would set her mother or Cruella off.

The Evil Queen and Jafar had yet to make their presence known, opting for watching the teens and Maleficent from the doorway.

"They aren't taking _my_ Carlos from me," Cruella shook her head and released her son's hair, placing an arm in front of him since Maleficent took a step closer to her. "I'd miss him too much."

"Wait, seriously mom?" There was a glimmer of hope in Carlos' eyes when he looked up at her. It was the closest she had come to admitting any sort of affection for him.

"Of course," Cruella scoffed. "I can't trust Horace and Jasper with cleaning my baby. You're the only one that knows how to properly fluff my furs."

Carlos looked crestfallen upon hearing that and timidly ducked under her arm. He gulped then took a step closer to Maleficent. His lip quivered a little but that was the only sign of how nervous he was.

"A new school doesn't sound so bad," He admitted. Maleficent chuckled and went to speak, looking offended when Cruella beat her to saying anything.

"Carlos," She crooned. "There are _dogs_ in Auradon." His eyes widened and he was back, cowering at his mother's side and rapidly shaking his head back and forth.

"I'm n-n-not going," He stammered. Cruella swiftly boxed his ear, muttering "useless runt," under her breath when he stumbled forward from the blow.

Carlos blinked back tears and joined his friends. He clenched his teeth together and shook his head when Jay and Evie looked at him.

"And they aren't taking Jay," Jafar announced then stepped into the room. "I need someone to keep my shelves stocked."

"That's not the only thing I'm good for, Pop," Jay muttered. Granted, he had come back with a decent score but that certainly wasn't his only redeeming quality.

"You aren't helping my case," Jafar shook his head. Maleficent rolled her eyes and beckoned the Evil Queen in.

"Queen, you already agreed on Evie going and I'm holding you to it," She muttered, earning a nod from Grimhilde. "Carlos and Jay will be going."

"Not if I have a say in it," Jafar and Cruella said at the same time. They both glared at their sons. Jay protectively placed a hand on Carlos' shoulder and squeezed, eyes narrowing at his father.

"Don't we get a say in this?" He asked and clenched his jaw. The look of defiance was one that his father would have slapped from his face if they were back at the shop. Being surrounded by his friends and their parents left the two staring each other down since Jafar didn't believe in raising a hand on his son in public.

"That depends on which side you are taking," Maleficent gave an indignant look, fully curious about what Jay wanted to say.

"Count me in," The teen shrugged. "I can use a change of scenery. See if those princes are really something to write home about."

"I'm going too," Carlos nodded. He didn't acknowledge his mother when she screamed his name.

"So it's settled," Maleficent smirked then sat on her throne. A purple plush armchair that was in decent condition served as the seat she often perched on. "They are all going. No more discussion of the matter. Now let me tell you the plan."

Jafar and Cruella muttered under their breath but didn't argue. They joined Evil Queen at the table and narrowed their eyes when the teens moved closer to where Maleficent sat.

"You four are the pawns of my little plan," Maleficent whispered and beckoned them to move closer to her.

Mal was the first to step forward. Jay and Evie were right behind her. It took a raised eyebrow from Mal to get Carlos to join them.

"You will go to Auradon and you will meet Fairy Godmother," She filed her nails as she spoke, intent on making things seem as mundane as she possibly could. "I expect you to steal her wand and bring it back here. Our revenge on Auradon will begin with my destroying the barrier. Then we villains will be free to raid and plunder. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Evie nodded and gave a curtsy in reply.

"Got it," Jay mumbled, already wondering if there would be a way to get the wand and bring it back to his father instead.

"Yes ma'am," Carlos spoke slightly louder than necessary. He earned an elbow to the ribs from Mal and pointed his middle finger to the ear his mother boxed. _It was still ringing._ Thankfully the crude gesture went unnoticed by the adults.

"Mal?" Maleficent narrowed her eyes at her daughter. Mal gave her a bored look in return and studied her nails for a moment.

"What do we gain from doing this?" She raised a brow and met her mother's gaze.

"Me at my rightful seat with my scepter and you at my side. Hers and hers crowns. The goblins back at our beck and call," Maleficent shrugged.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure she meant us," Jay pointed at his friends and wrinkled his nose. "As my father would say - you're going to need to give a better pitch than that if you expect me to consider the offer."

"He's got a point," Jafar chuckled, proud that the few lessons he taught seemed to have stuck.

"Your freedom, our freedom, and a chance to avenge your parents," Maleficent shrugged. "That should have been obvious enough. Just think — revenge on the genie, the puppies that got away, and Snow White. It would make us parents proud."

The use of pride was what earned a nod from each teen. Years of their lives were spent longing for acknowledgment from their parents. Earning a simple 'I love you' or 'I'm proud of you' was something they all wanted. None of their parents had ever outright said either statement.

"I'm in," Jay nodded. "Me too," Evie whispered. She and Jay turned to Carlos. He was being awfully quiet, silently questioning just how much damage would be done if he agreed to go.

"I'll do it," He gulped and covered his mouth with one of his hands, trembling since he was already imagining what his mother was going to do to him for going against her wishes.

"Mal?" Maleficent growled at her daughter. "You'll be grounded for eternity if you don't get it done."

Mal narrowed her eyes at her mother. Flecks of green appeared and Maleficent glared right back. The two stared at each other until Mal broke, groaning and shaking her head.

"Fine, whatever," She rolled her eyes then gave Jay, Evie, and Carlos a calculated look. "We'll do it."

"Good choice," Maleficent crooned. "We would have been so disappointed if you disagreed."

"I still don't understand why you need my son," Jafar shook his head and beckoned Jay closer to him, a hand resting on his son's shoulder once he was at his side.

"He's an integral part of the plan," Maleficent shrugged. "Better skills at taking things than Mal has ever had."

"And my Carlos?" Cruella narrowed her eyes at her son. Carlos winced and walked over to where she sat, kneeling down so she could run her fingers through his hair. His gaze was focused on the floor.

"Your runt is quite gifted, Ella. He appears to be the most tech-savvy of the bunch and has been masterminding my daughter and Jay's plots for the last couple of months," She shrugged.

Cruella roughly pulled Carlos's hair and forced his head back so he was looking at her. "Is that so?" She growled out.

"Yes, momma," Carlos winced, teeth digging into his lower lip when she pulled his head back further.

"Easy," Maleficent snapped. "We need him one piece if we want the plan to work out." Cruella yanked her son's hair once more then pushed him away from her.

Carlos stuck both hands out to brace his fall, crawling back over to where Evie and Mal stood before getting back on his feet. He shrugged his shoulders when Evie mouthed, 'are you okay?' and wrapped his arms around his middle.

"Mother?" Mal's question caused all four adults to stare at her. She took a breath then continued. "When do we leave?"

"Excellent question," Maleficent laughed. "We have a week before you go. I expect you all here so I can keep an eye on things and make sure you are truly ready to go."

"I need Jay at my shop," Jafar hissed out, his grip on Jay's shoulder tightening slightly. "Sales will go down if he isn't allowed to get items for me."

"And I need my Carlos," Cruella's statement caused her son's gaze to meet hers. He shuddered and shook his head. "My baby is going to need one more wash before he leaves."

"And Evie needs to get rid of that unibrow," Grimhilde announced, earning a shocked cry from her daughter. Evie's fingers immediately went to the spot between her eyebrows. "She won't be going anywhere until it's gone."

"We have enough space for all of you here," Maleficent spoke through gritted teeth. "I'll give you an hour and a half to gather your things and will personally come to get you if you take any longer than that. I expect the children to be fully packed to go to Auradon. I intend to make sure they have properly learned from their upbringing. We cannot afford any of them embarrassing where they come from."

The adults nodded at that. Jafar took Jay by the arm and led him back to the shop. Grimhilde, Evie, Carlos, and Cruella walked back to where their houses were. The mothers walked behind their kids. Evie's mother was consoling Carlos' since Cruella seemed distraught thinking about how her son wouldn't be home.

Evie and Carlos quietly whispered to one another, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that they were talking since Cruella didn't seem to like that Evie was close to her son.

"Are you sure you will be okay?" Evie asked, concern briefly washing over her expression before she masked it.

"Yeah," Carlos shrugged. "She can't do major damage if Maleficent was being truthful in saying she expects me to leave in one piece."

"I wish there was something I could do," She sighed. "Mom's going to end up plucking my eyebrows then helping me pack. Do you want me to ask if we can walk back together?"

Carlos' eyebrows furrowed together, the moment of hesitation made clear when he dug his teeth into his lower lip.

"It wouldn't hurt if you did," His voice trembled. "She likes keeping the appearance of trying to care about me in public." He paused, remembering the boxed ear and his hair being tugged. _It was nothing in comparison to what she usually did though._ "At least I thought she had."

"I'll be sure to ask then," Evie nodded. She wished she could have offered Carlos a squeeze of the hand or a hug but they couldn't afford reassuring one another in front of their parents. If there was one thing all of their parents agreed on, affection, friendship, and love being weaknesses were at the top of the list.

"Carlos," Cruella barked once they neared Hell Hall. Evie gave Carlos an encouraging smile.

"I'll see you later, okay?" She asked. He gave a shaky nod then approached his mother, biting back a wince when her arm ended up around his shoulders, nails digging into his right arm.

The two disappeared into Hell Hall. There was a beat of silence where Cruella let go of him so she could lock the door behind her. Carlos was tempted to run and hide but that would only make things worse.

"What were you thinking?" Cruella hissed out and grabbed her son by the chin, forcing him to look up at her. Carlos clenched his jaw to keep from saying anything, earning his mother's fingers digging into his skin.

"You weren't," She snapped. "And now I hear you've been aiding Mal and Jay? If it weren't for Maleficent, I would have you locked in the basement for the next month. Choosing those two over your own mother?"

"I'm sorry," Carlos whispered. "I d-didn't—" His words were cut off by Cruella slapping him across the face, the blow pushing him back against the wall behind him.

"They'll send you back, you know that?" She scowled. "Auradon won't want anything to do with a villain that can't speak correctly. You're a disappointment."

Carlos nodded instead of saying anything, eyes meeting his mother's despite the overwhelming fear that left him wanting to flee to his closet.

"I give it a week until you are back in my clutches," Cruella continued. "And then you will get what you deserve for having betrayed me in front of Maleficent. Go get your things."

"Yes, momma," Carlos gasped out. He didn't give a second glance when she let him go. It had been too easy but her threat was still in the back of his mind. _What if they didn't want him because of his stammering?_ She always knew exactly which thoughts to plant in his mind to get his anxiety going. He could barely focus on packing.

Carlos didn't have many things to call his own as it was, able to fit his belongings into a plastic bag that had seen better days. It would get the job done though so that was all he cared about. Carlos stuck his best outfit at the top of the bag. His most prized possession was a leather jacket Evie painted for him. That and a pair of black and white shorts she had stitched together.

"Carlos," Cruella's call made him freeze, shuddering at how sickly sweet her voice sounded. He steeled himself and blinked back tears. It took him a moment to feel ready to answer, flinching when Cruella yelled his name since he didn't immediately answer.

"Coming," He shouted and hugged the bag to his chest, needing a deep breath before he practically dove down the stairs, coming to a stop in front of his mother.

"My baby," She cried and shoved a bucket of soapy water into his arms. "She needs to be perfect or you will not be going anywhere." Carlos carefully adjusted his grip around the bucket, managing to take it in one hand so he could place his clothes on the stairs.

"You will restart if I see any streaks. Is that understood?" Cruella narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes ma'am," Carlos whispered then turned to go to the kitchen, needing a few rags so he could properly clean the car. It usually took up to three hours to do depending on how his mother's mood was. She seemed to have a sick pleasure in making him restart even though things were neatly done. He didn't want to know what would happen if it turned into Maleficent needing to get them.

Carlos got started on cleaning the front of the car, cautiously scrubbing small circles to get rid of the little bits of dirt he could see. Having washed the car at the start of the week meant things should be easy to clean. His mother hadn't taken it anywhere but she would still rip into him if he didn't appear to make a thorough job out of the task.

He wasn't sure how much time passed by the time he reached the rear. His arms were sore from scrubbing and he was in dire need of a glass of water since the little bit of sun that shined through the barrier left him sweating.

"Good boy," Cruella's appearance caused him to drop the bucket, grateful the majority of the water had been put to use since very little spilled out. Carlos hadn't heard her approach. "It almost looks good as new. I suppose you can go in now."

Carlos gave each taillight one last scrub then nodded and placed the rags back in the bucket.

"Do you need anything else done?" He asked in a whisper, surprised when Cruella shook her head.

"Not anything that can be done in the time that is left," She scoffed and took a step closer to him, hand reaching up to run her thumb over his cheek. "It's a shame I never was able to get rid of those spots on you."

Those words earned a shudder from Carlos. He had a patch of discoloration on his arm from when she made Jasper try to bleach off some of his freckles. The punishment that came from that not working had been terrible even though he hadn't asked to be born with them.

"Sorry momma," Carlos bit his lower lip, gaze dropping to his feet while he held his breath. She hadn't removed her hand, opting to let her fingers travel up along the side of his face and into his hair.

"What am I going to do without you?" She cried out. Carlos nearly gave a sarcastic 'clean the house yourself,' but thought better of it. His mother was being unexpectedly calm. He didn't want to risk setting one of her more undesirable moods off.

The trip to the Junk Shop was silent between Jay and Jafar. Jafar held the door open for his son and Jay promptly emptied his pockets out on the counter, needing to reach down into his shirt to grab a teapot. His father silently looked over what he brought.

"Adequate," Jafar shrugged. He never said anything past that since he didn't want his son to have a chip on his shoulder. The teapot was fairly impressive though since Jay succeeded in hiding it without his clothes looking suspicious.

"I managed to get back that piece you sold to Gaston," Jay murmured. He merely earned a scoff from his father.

"I didn't ask you to do that," Jafar shook his head. Jay continued to press him though.

"Yeah, but it wasn't an easy task. I had to—" His thought was cut off by Jafar's fist colliding with his right eye. Had he been expecting it, Jay would have been able to dodge. As it was, Jafar got a direct hit and knocked the wind out of his son in the process.

"Fuck, Pa," Jay gasped and brought a hand up to his eye, wincing since the spot was already smarting. He was silent for a moment then brought his gaze up to Jafar's. "What the hell was that for?"

"Quit running your mouth," His father scowled down at him. "And watch your language. I know I raised you better than that."

"My apologies, sir," Jay exhaled and chanced a glance at his father. He needed to wink since it hurt to keep his eye open. "May I go pack or did you have another lesson in mind?"

"You know I prefer not having to place my hands on you," Jafar shook his head. "But you've been testing my patience since the first time you said you were going to that school."

"Think about it Pop," Jay spoke rather calmly. His voice shook a little since he didn't want to risk being hit again. "Grabbing the wand from under Mal's nose and bringing it to you instead."

"You should have started the conversation off with that," Jafar grimaced, feeling a slight pang of regret for having thrown his fist.

"Yeah well you didn't exactly give me a chance to get a lot of words in," Jay grumbled and shrugged his shoulders. "Can I go pack now?"

"Hold on," Jafar put a hand up to stop Jay from leaving. His son flinched back but quickly recovered when he realized his father just wanted to get by. Jafar went behind the counter and rummaged around in one of the cupboards. Jay tilted his head in an attempt to get a glimpse of what he was looking for but there was nothing to see.

Another moment then Jafar returned with a gold and purple carpetbag. It was a little faded but the amount of time spent searching for it left Jay assuming it was supposed to remain hidden.

"Use this," Jafar offered it to Jay. It was one of the few things he had from Agrabah and would serve as a peace offering of sorts.

"Is this what I think it is?" Jay hesitated in taking it, looking surprised when his father handed it to him.

"Yes, Jay," His father nodded. "Now go pack. I don't think either of us wants Maleficent showing up here."

Jay gave a nod then walked over to the shelf that served as his bed, grabbing the rather beat up pillow Evie made him and gingerly placed it in the bag. It wasn't anything impressive but he had a feeling he would want something from home. It had the same musty scent his father's shop had.

Grabbing the rest of his clothes was rather easy. The Isle rarely got shipments of clothing so he had been left with the same outfits for a few years now. Evie saved a few of the group's clothes by stitching them back together and adding patches when needed. The alliance with her had been a lifesaver since it kept him from running around in rags.

"All set," Jay returned after a few minutes. He slipped his favorite beanie on over his hair and wore the vest Evie made him.

"I'll take the bag," Jafar offered. Jay looked incredibly confused upon hearing that.

"Are you serious?" Jay quirked a brow at his father and didn't immediately offer the bag to him.

"Yes, now hand it over before I change my mind," A low chuckle was heard when Jay confusedly gave him the bag.

"Thanks, I think?" Jay murmured, still thrown off at the small act of kindness.

"It's nothing," Jafar rolled his eyes, his own bag over his shoulder. "Don't go expecting me to carry it when you go to leave."

"Admit it," Jay chuckled. "You're going to miss having me around."

"I never said that," His father shook his head. "Means I'll have to find someone else to get goods for me. A shame, truly."

Jay lightly nudged his father and gave a soft laugh. The two were the first to return to Maleficent.


	2. We'll Live Like Spoiled Royalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: A little bit of abuse toward Carlos. (I know, I'm sorry. I don't know why he's the one I settled on mistreating the most.)

"Mum, if you keep going I won't have any eyebrows left," Evie groaned, pulling a face since her mother had gone in with the tweezers again.

"One spot left," Grimhilde clicked her tongue. "I can't send you off looking like a goblin." She plucked the last hair out then set the tweezers down, pursing her lips while she looked Evie over. "I'm taking the tweezers in case a few strands appear before the end of the week."

"Of course, and I'll be sure to get a pair of my own once in Auradon," Evie nodded.

"Make sure you find a prince," Grimhilde tapped her daughter's nose. "And a castle with a mother-in-law wing."

"And lots and lots of mirrors," She and Evie said together, slight smiles creasing over their lips.

"I'm sad you can't come with me," Evie worried her lip, the action quickly stopped when her mother pressed her finger against her lip and took it out from beneath her teeth.

"You'll get worry lines, darling," The evil queen shook her head. "I assure you no prince will want a girl with wrinkles."

"I know, mama," Evie nodded. "And I'll be sure to remember that. I don't plan on letting you… or Maleficent down."

"Good girl," Grimhilde remarked. "Now grab the last of your things. We need to head back soon."

"Can we see if Cruella wants to walk with us?" Evie asked. Her mother tilted her head to the side. It was the only way Evie could tell her question had confused her.

"Is this because of Carlos?" She tightened her lips together to suppress a scowl when Evie nodded.

"I'm worried," Evie pressed her tongue against her cheek. "You saw how Cruella was with him."

"Is she always like that?" The question earned another nod from Evie. Grimhilde pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "She was going off about him being a good for nothing brat while we were waiting for you."

"Mom, she treats him worse than you treat the goblins," Evie gulped. "And I'm pretty sure she's done worse to him but Mal and I haven't been able to find enough proof to bring it up with Maleficent. I hate to say it, but I think it's a good thing he has the chance to go."

"I can try talking to Cruella and ask her to lay off him for the rest of the week," Grimhilde shrugged. "The mutt looked anxious enough without her dragging him by his hair."

"I appreciate it," Evie nodded. "And I think he will too. Assuming it doesn't backfire into her flipping out on him."

"She won't try anything drastic under Maleficent's watch. Not after being told she expects him in one piece," Her words did little to ease the look of worry Evie held.

Ordinarily, the villains didn't step in when it came to how each other's kids were raised. Carlos was a different case since the boy was a sweetheart the few times he came over, the most notable evening having been when he came over looking for Evie after being kicked out of his mother's house.

The kid was shaking and had a decent sized gash on his arm. He did nothing to acknowledge it, only giving a deer in headlights look when Grimhilde offered to clean it up for him and made him sit until her daughter returned home. She had a bit of a soft spot for him and was rather impressed with the alliance between the two. Things were made even better when his alliance caused Evie to work with Maleficent's daughter.

"Are you ready?" Grimhilde looked her daughter over one last time, smiling brightly once she decided she approved of the girl's appearance.

"Everything's packed," Evie nodded. "I've got my makeup and the remover and a few ointments just in case I break out."

"Perfect," Her mother beamed. The two stepped out of the house and walked across the way, the Evil Queen being the one to knock on the door of Hell Hall.

"Runt, the door!" Evie wrinkled her nose at Cruella's shout. "What did I tell you about making us late?"

There was a scuffling sound as the door was unlocked and opened, Carlos relaxing the moment he laid eyes on Evie. He offered her a small smile then looked over his shoulder to make sure Cruella wasn't there, cautiously taking a step toward Evie so he could whisper in her ear.

"She doesn't want me talking unless she or Maleficent specifically speaks to me," He spoke in a rush. "If you can let the others know…"

He took a step back after that and held up a finger to say he would return, running back to the kitchen to get his and Cruella's bags.

"Who is it?" Cruella asked as she released a cloud of smoke through her lips. Carlos stiffened at the sight of the cigarette between her fingers, far too used to serving as what she used to put the disgusting things out.

"Evil Queen and her daughter," Carlos kept his gaze on the ground - doing exactly as Cruella briefed him on in regards to the whole talking thing. She didn't like his stammer and didn't need Maleficent mocking her for having a child that couldn't speak without tripping over his words. They were both better off if he spent the week barely speaking.

"She said—" Carlos paused to take a breath then continued. "They are ready to go back when you are."

"Very well," Cruella took another drag of the cigarette. Carlos kept his gaze on his feet. "Grab my bag and don't you dare drop it. I expect you by my side the whole time."

"Yes, ma'am," He murmured and stuck her purse over his shoulder then went to retrieve his bag from the stairs. To his relief, his mother put the cigarette out the correct way and left it in the ashtray. She hadn't laid a finger on him besides the slap from when they first got home.

"Queen," Cruella forced a smile upon spotting the woman. The two kissed each other's cheeks then took a step back. Carlos gave a half-wave to Evie then grabbed the door.

"I take it you have everything?" Grimhilde asked, earning a nod from Carlos and a grumble from Cruella.

"I didn't have it in me to take my furs. Not with Jafar and his brat around," She shook her head. "Move." The word came out in a whisper and was enough to make Carlos jump, promptly walking toward where Evie stood. She made sure to lock the door behind her then looked back at the Evil Queen.

"It's good to see Carlos out and about," Grimhilde murmured. "I swear I haven't seen him in weeks."

"Yes well, he's been aiding with the house," Cruella shrugged. "Needed to relearn his place after mouthing off to me and coming home after curfew."

The adults began to walk and Carlos cast Evie an anxious-looking smile before falling into step beside his mother. Keeping his mouth shut would prove to be a challenge since he liked talking to Evie, Mal, and Jay too much. He wasn't looking forward to arriving back at Maleficent's.

They got back to Maleficent's with little issue, Carlos' skill of tuning his mother out had come in handy since she spent the majority of the walk there going off about how useless he was. The only surprising thing was Evie's mom questioning if she was being too hard on him. Carlos nearly tripped, quickly avoiding landing on the pavement. He kept his distance in case she decided to get mad at him but the outburst never came.

"You're late," Maleficent announced when the four entered her home. Grimhilde looked at the watch on her wrist and raised a brow.

"On time given the amount of walking from the other end of the Isle to get here," She shook her head. Cruella nodded in agreement. "Jafar's got it easy."

"Still late," Maleficent shrugged. "Now it's time to see what the four know. I made it clear I won't be accepting failure from Mal."

"Carlos knows his place," Cruella took him by the shoulder. "Isn't that right, runt?"

"Yes momma," He nodded then glanced at her and Mal's mom. "I'll be good. I don't plan on disappointing you or Maleficent."

"Good boy," Maleficent purred and patted the top of Carlos's head. He wrinkled his nose but didn't say anything.

"And your daughter?" She turned to Grimhilde, eyes narrowing at her old enemy.

"Already stated she'll do whatever it takes to aid Mal," Evil Queen shrugged. "You needn't worry about her."

"Excellent, we will begin then," Maleficent beamed, beckoning the four teens close to her before giving a strict set of instructions and guidelines for how the week would go.

The week that followed proved to be one of the toughest weeks for three out of four members of the group. Mal, Jay, and Evie quickly discovered they disliked being cooped up indoors while Carlos was grateful to have been given a break from doing chores.

The night before they left involved Evie and Mal sneaking out to get their hair done one last time at Lady Tremaine's, with Jay and Carlos entrusted with the task of stalling if one of the adults poked their head in to make sure the teens hadn't escaped. No one checked on the boys so it was a bit of a relief. Mal and Evie were able to sneak back in with little issue.

The morning of their departure proved to be the most eventful part of the week since Maleficent woke everyone up early. Mal and Evie tossed their least ratty-looking outfit on and were pleased to see Jay and Carlos had done the same.

"This is it," Maleficent announced in a singsong. "The day we have been preparing for. Jay, remind me what the plan is."

Jay looked up in alarm, certainly not awake enough for being put on the spot. He cleared his throat and tossed his beanie on before answering.

"Meet Fairy Godmother, get her wand, bring it back here," He paused to stifle a yawn. "Let world domination ensue. No questions about whether or not we bring it back since the expectation is we'll succeed." Jay looked at Mal for a moment. "Did I miss anything?"

"No, you're good," Mal shrugged then studied her nails. She was exhausted and excited, happy she was able to refrain from bouncing around at the thought of getting off the Isle.

"Very good, Jay," Maleficent then turned to Carlos. "And what's your role in this runt?" Carlos pressed his lips together to keep from stammering out nonsense, quietly thinking over his words.

"To make sure the plan is flawless, ma'am," He whispered. "And to create diversions if necessary."

"Good boy," She sneered. "To think your mother spent the first couple of years of your life trying to pass you off as dumb."

"Yeah," Carlos sighed and cast a glance back at where Cruella stood. "Sorry I d-didn't live up to that expectation." The stammer slipped out and he pressed his lips together, teeth digging into the inside of his lower lip as he stepped behind Jay. Cruella didn't move from the corner she was in but the look she gave him clearly stated she was counting down the days until they sent him home for being a disappointment.

There was a loud shout from outside that caught everyone's attention, Maleficent was the first to get a look at what was going on. The barrier had briefly opened, revealing a black limousine that left vendors scrambling to move their goods.

"We should say our goodbyes," Maleficent announced. "Their ride is approaching." Jay and Jafar spoke softly with each other while Grimhilde briefed Evie on how to use her magic mirror. Maleficent called Mal to the balcony and the two looked over the Isle.

"My bag," Jay bit back a smirk when Jafar went to grab the carpetbag from the table. His father hadn't said it, but Jay was certain he would be missed. Otherwise, Jafar wouldn't have taken his time in grabbing his stuff.

Evie was the first to go downstairs with Jay following closely behind. Their parents exchanged a look of uncertainty with one another before following after. Carlos was left with the unfortunate luck of Cruella having taken his bag so he had no choice but to approach her. He went to reach for the bag and was stopped by his mother putting her hand on him.

"I give it a week," Cruella sneered at him. "Then you will be home where you belong." Carlos shuddered when his mother didn't release the grip she had on him. "Come." She spoke through gritted teeth and kicked the bag at him. Her fingers slackened enough to allow him to bend down to get the bag but she didn't dare let go, forcing him to go to the stairwell that led down to the street below.

She turned on him once she was certain they were out of earshot of the others then lit one of her cigarettes, taking a large drag from it then exhaling the smoke in Carlos' face. Carlos coughed and tried to get her to let go of him.

"I'm not letting you go without a parting gift," Her whisper made Carlos freeze, eyes widening when he tried to look into her eyes. "Turn around, mutt."

There was no choice but to do as he was told, shuddering when Cruella's free hand ran through his curls. She took a fistful of hair from the back and forced him to look down. Her grip tightened enough to make it feel like his knees were going to buckle then she pressed the cigarette into the nape of her son's neck, extinguishing it with a cackle.

Carlos jerked forward and cried out when that caused his mother to pull some of his hair out. He took off running as fast as he could, brushed past where Jafar and Jay stood, then ducked around Evie.

"Close the fucking door," He shouted and dove into the car, curling up in the fetal position on the floor. Evie followed after him and gingerly closed the door. They both heard Cruella call him an ingrate but she didn't move toward the limousine. Carlos released several shaky breaths once he was certain she wasn't coming after him then slowly got up, sitting on one of the seats across from Evie.

"What was that about?" Evie asked in a whisper. Worry briefly appeared in her expression when Carlos shook his head.

"N-n-nothing," He gasped out then curled into himself, shoulders shaking until Evie sat beside him and draped her arm around him.

"It didn't look like nothing," She murmured. "You don't need to talk about it but you do look like you could use a hug."

"Fine," Carlos exhaled and sat up so Evie could properly hug him. "She thinks they'll send me back for the stammering. C-called me a disappointment. Her usual."

"I doubt they would do that," Evie sighed. The conversation was left at that since Jay joined them. Evie gave the older boy a look that said 'go easy on him,' then took her original spot back.

"You alright?" Jay tilted his head, noting that Carlos appeared to be clutching onto his bag like it was a lifeline.

"Just thinking about the cat," Carlos shrugged. "I d-don't like leaving her behind. Should've made Diego take her in." The cat would be able to survive without him but that also left her as open game if Jasper or Horace decided it was time they finally got rid of her.

Jay leaned against Carlos. He could tell he was hiding something but knew better than to try to get more out of him. It would cause him to shut down and they couldn't have him full out panicking when they arrived at Auradon.

"I don't think I've ever seen you run that fast," Jay chuckled then pressed his head against Carlos' shoulder, nuzzling him until Mal entered the limousine. The door shut behind her then the driver got in. Evie and Mal silently watched as the crowd that gathered disappeared behind them.

"Check this out," Evie broke the silence that settled over them and waved a stick with sugar crystals on it in front of Carlos' face. The candy quickly caused him to perk up.

"We can take it?" He asked, earning a light chuckle and shake of the head from Jay.

"They wouldn't have left it out in the open if we couldn't," Jay shrugged and took a handful of brightly colored circles. Carlos reached out and grabbed a weird shaped brown thing. He took one bite then gave a pleased groan.

"Holy crap, Jay," He chuckled and took another bite, offering the remaining half to him. "You need to try this. It's sweet and then… I don't know how to explain it but it's brilliant."

"Shit," Jay whispered after eating it. "We're going to need to find a way to smuggle some of this stuff to the Isle."

Carlos nodded in agreement. Their talking died down when the window that separated them from the driver rolled down. Evie got the first glimpse through the window and quickly clutched Mal's hand.

"It's a trap," She hissed out, bracing for impact. The other three promptly looked out the divider and gave a shriek of terror. Carlos ended up on Jay's lap with his head pressed against his shoulder and Mal tugged Evie to her side and hugged her.

The impact of driving off the broken bridge that separated the Isle from the sea never came. Jay was the first to open his eyes, looking rather confused that they were driving over the water.

"'Los, look," He whispered then lightly nudged Evie with his foot, speaking a little louder when he got her attention. "Girls, we survived."

They were silent, mouths open at their first glimpse of magic. The driver took a brief look behind him and was relieved to see none of them fainted. Their screams were a tad worrisome.

"How did you..?" Mal whispered when she caught his eye. His gaze shifted back to the road ahead of him and he shrugged.

"There's a button that opens the barrier," He murmured. "Happens to always be on me so I wouldn't go getting too curious about it."

"Noted," She answered, giving a chuckle when the divider went back up. "Do you think they will all be that snarky?"

"I hope not," Carlos mumbled against Jay's shoulder. He had yet to leave his lap, having needed a moment to get his breathing back under control. "I've n-never been good at giving it back."

"Eh," Jay shook his head, leaning against Carlos once he was back beside him. "You've got us so don't worry about that part."

"There it is," Mal pointed to the window behind Jay and Carlos. The two shifted and gasped. The rest of the ride up to Auradon was quiet. Evie and Mal joined the boys, scoping out the crowd that had gathered to see them.

"Why d-d-do we need a crowd?" Carlos groaned. The question earned Jay and Evie rubbing his back in an attempt to ease his nerves.

"You don't need to talk if you don't want to," Evie reminded him. Jay nodded in agreement. None of them knew what to expect and the driver opened the door to the limo far sooner than any of them were ready for.

"Jay cover your eye," Evie hissed. Jay looked confused for a moment then nodded, promptly pulling some of his hair out from beneath his beanie to cover the bruise his father left. He, Carlos, and Evie hesitated in getting out, looking at Mal to lead them.

"Fine," She rolled her eyes. "I'll go first." Mal took a deep breath and squeezed Evie's hand to reassure herself then stepped out of the car. Jay, Evie, and Carlos followed after. They all kept their eyes focused down, uncertain about how eye contact would be handled at the new school. Dragon Hall certainly didn't encourage it.

The band stopped playing and an awkward silence fell over the crowd. Mal didn't dare look up since she could feel everyone's eyes on her. Carlos kept his arms wrapped around his bag, hugging it to his chest. Evie could hear him whispering the periodic table under his breath. Jay chanced a glance up, expression unreadable when he locked eyes with a teen in a suit.

Three people approached the group. Carlos took a step back, hiding behind Jay and Evie when they stopped in front of them.

"Welcome to Auradon prep," A woman with a soft voice spoke. Jay kept a stony expression and looked over the group that had approached, taking in their appearances. He couldn't get a good read off of them but the woman appeared to be sincere. "I'm Fairy Godmother, the headmistress."

Mal, Evie, and Carlos's gazes traveled up upon hearing that, each of them looking her over for a fleeting moment before dropping their gaze back down. Jay took a step back toward where his friends were, allowing Mal to stand ahead of him.

"It's so good to finally meet you all," The teenager Jay first locked eyes with took a step forward. "I'm Ben."

" _Prince_ Benjamin," The girl on the other side of Fairy Godmother chimed in. "And I'm _Princess_ Audrey. His girlfriend. We're in charge of showing you around."

"I have to get the classroom ready for you," Fairy Godmother murmured. "I will meet you inside once the tour is over. You'll be ending the evening with two exams." She wrinkled her nose when the teens didn't say anything. "My apologies for throwing them at you right at the start, but we need to make sure we place you in the correct classes before finalizing your schedules."

She left after that. Ben took a step forward, briefly looking over each newcomer. None of them made eye contact with him so he cleared his throat.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you all," He announced and offered his hand to Jay. "Jay, right?" Ben tilted his head to the side, regretting not having brought notecards with him so he would be able to differentiate between the four. Jay's head shot up, causing his hair to shift to the side as he nodded and brought his gaze back down, not bothering to accept Ben's handshake.

It was peculiar to Ben but handshakes weren't a proper greeting on the Isle. The teens only ever used them when making deals with Uma's crew.

"So that makes you Carlos," Ben murmured, eyeing the boy that was behind Jay and the blue-haired teen. The white-haired boy kept his head down so Ben and Audrey couldn't get a good look at him.

"Evie," Evie shifted so she was properly standing in front of Carlos and offered Ben a small smile. "Carlos is a little nervous so don't mind him. He sometimes doesn't talk because of it." It wasn't exactly a lie but it did save Carlos from being badgered into talking.

"I'll make note of that," Ben nodded. He approached Mal next, the purple-haired girl's head rising up once she spotted his shoes in front of her. She narrowed her eyes at him and shrugged her shoulders, taking on a more disinterested look before she muttered her name.

"This is an incredibly momentous occasion," Ben nodded. "You are the first of hopefully many scholars from the Isle that will get a second chance in Auradon." He went to continue but stopped upon catching the look of disgust that took over Jay and Mal's expressions. "Am I saying too much?"

"Oh no," Mal shook her head. "It's just that we didn't get much of a choice in the first place, not having asked to be born on the Isle or to our parents for that matter."

"Ah, so you can talk," Audrey muttered. Mal shrugged her shoulders in response, rolling her eyes when Ben gave a nervous chuckle. "You know, I'm Aurora's daughter. I totally can't blame your mom for trying to kill mine."

Mal opened and closed her mouth, blinking several times before she spoke. "I- That's not usually the best way to go about getting someone on your side." She looked back to Jay and mouthed 'what the fuck?' then fixed her gaze on her shoes.

"Right, well," Ben paused and looked at the other three. Jay seemed bored and Evie was looking around the courtyard. Carlos still had his head down. "Carlos, you can leave your bag in the limo. The driver will bring it up to your dorm." He didn't expect the teen to shake his head and tug the bag closer to his chest. "Uh, never mind then. Let's get on with the tour."

He and Audrey took the lead, allowing themselves to get ahead by several places then briefly glancing behind them to make sure they were being followed.

"They're awfully quiet," Audrey whispered. "And I'm pretty sure Jay's got a black eye. May have been a shadow from his hair but it looked more blue than black."

"Let's hope you're seeing things," Ben murmured then turned around to address the teens from the Isle. "This is Auradon. Built over three hundred years ago and converted into a high school when my father joined the kingdoms together." He paused near the statue of his father. The four from the Isle looked unimpressed with it. Ben clapped his hands together and the statue shifted into a beast.

Mal and Evie jumped back at the same time Carlos screamed and jumped into Jay's arms, his bag dropped at his feet. Jay looked unphased after catching Carlos. He tightened his arms around him until he was calm enough to be put down and offered him his bag.

"Hey," Ben spoke softly, not having expected the group to seem afraid of the statue. "It's okay. My father made it so the statue morphs from man to beast and back again. It serves as a reminder that anything is possible in Auradon."

"How poetic," Mal muttered under her breath. Ben could have sworn he heard her say something about shedding too but he didn't address it. He and Audrey lead them into the school.

"Hey Doug," Ben called. A scrawny looking teen looked up from a paper he was reading. "This is Doug, he'll be taking over the tour from here. You'll see your dorms then he'll bring you to Fairy Godmother to get the placement exams done. This is," He paused to look the four over again, going from left to right. "Evie, Mal, Carlos, and Jay."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Doug offered a small smile. Audrey and Ben gave a brief wave then went to find Fairy Godmother. "I'm Doug - Dopey's son. He's one of the seven dwarfs. I have partial class schedules and a map for you all but they aren't official since the placement tests will give us a better idea of which classes are best for you."

"Can you just show us the dorms?" Mal asked, teeth digging into her lower lip when she finished speaking. They were all too friendly. It was incredibly nerve-wracking.

"Yeah sure," Doug nodded. "They're down this hallway. We'll see the girls' room first then I'll show Carlos and Jay to theirs."

"Hold on, they get a separate one?" Mal held her hand up before Doug could take the lead.

"Of course," Doug nodded. "They don't allow girls and boys to share a dorm. You can get in detention for it if you're caught."

"Yeah, we might have a problem with that," Mal shook her head. "Who do we bring that up with?"

"Fairy Godmother is the one that put it in place. They don't want to encourage uh-" He paused, looking for the right words. "More risque activities." Mal, Evie, and Jay gave a low laugh at that.

"Right, forget it," Mal shook her head and fell back behind him. "Get on with the tour then."

"It wouldn't be for anything risque," Jay chuckled and dodged Mal's elbow. "Just a habit of sleeping in the same space together as a way of keeping track of one another back home." Doug didn't say anything at that, filing the information away in case it came in handy later that week.

"Alright," He announced once they got to the hallway that had the girls' dormitories in it. "This is Evie and Mal's room. Here are your keys." Mal took the keys from him and unlocked the door, blanching at how pink everything was. Evie gave an excited squeal.

"Do you want to come along and see the boys' dorm?" Doug asked. Evie tapped her foot in an attempt to contain her excitement. "Or would you prefer being left here?"

"This will do," Mal wrinkled her nose and stepped back into the hallway. "E?" She called out when Evie didn't immediately follow her.

"Atrocious," Evie cleared her throat. The word did little in convincing Mal she didn't like it. She seemed far too giddy. They shut the door behind them and locked it, following after Jay and Carlos once Doug began walking again.

"Here we are," Doug offered the keys to Jay, not wanting to risk spooking Carlos. The teen seemed awfully skittish. The door swung open and Jay and Carlos peaked in.

"My own bed," Jay gasped. "Carlos, pinch me this feels like a dream." A wince followed after since Carlos did exactly as Jay asked, chuckling softly when the action earned a glare.

Carlos stepped into the dorm and slowly looked around, placing his bag on the bed toward the left side of the room. He still hadn't said anything and didn't plan to until they were alone. It all seemed too good to be true and would truly prove to be a problem if his mother's theory was right. He dug his teeth into his lower lip and chewed, casting a glance back at Doug before walking back over to where Mal and Evie stood. A single nod showed he was ready to get testing over with.

None of the villain kids said anything, silently looking at Doug out of the corner of their eyes. He awkwardly rocked on the balls of his feet then cleared his throat, looking up once Jay made sure the door to the dorm was shut and locked.

"I can lead you to the room you will be taking exams in?" He offered a weak chuckle, feeling far too on edge since the four were as quiet as they were. It felt unnatural in a way.

"Do we get a choice on that?" Jay arched an eyebrow at him. Doug shook his head.

"No, not unless you want to risk being put in a lower level math or reading class than where you should be," He shrugged. The answer earned grumbling from Mal, Evie, and Jay. Carlos appeared indifferent about it. Mal waved her arm, gesturing for Doug to start walking. He gave a rapid nod then took off across the hallway and down a flight of stairs, stopping when they reached the bottom.

Four desks were set up at the bottom of the stairwell, an equal distance apart from each other. Fairy Godmother set a desk up so she could keep an eye on the four and stood up from it, giving a small smile when she spotted them. The choice to host exams there instead of a classroom had come from Audrey and Ben reporting that the four seemed overly anxious.

"I see you have reached the end of the tour," She announced. "Thank you, Doug." He nodded and cast a smile at the teens from the Isle then left, a little too eager to get away from the overly silent group of teens.

"I have a few exams for you to take, specifically focusing on the science, math, reading, and writing courses we offer. Unfortunately, the Isle couldn't send your paperwork over in a timely manner so I was left with no option but to have you take them your first week here. If you don't mind taking a seat."

There was a beat of silence as the four claimed a desk. It was surprisingly less unnerving than anything else they had experienced since she opted for proctoring the exam in an open space where anyone could come in and out. That was the first thing Mal and Jay noted. Their sitting down caused Carlos and Evie to do the same.

"There is no time limit on these. I must apologize in advance since Auradon requires that you complete these with no assistance from anyone. If you are uncertain about a question you may skip over it but I would suggest going back to look it over once you are done. Do you have any questions?"

"No ma'am," Jay, Evie, and Mal answered. Carlos shook his head. Fairy Godmother gave a warm smile and passed out the first exam.

"We will start with math," She nodded once back in front of her desk. "You may begin now."


	3. So This Is Love?

The first day of classes at Auradon Prep for Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos was marked by their discovering they only had one class altogether. They found out the schedule had two of the four in each class until the very end of the day— when they were expected to take goodness lessons with the Fairy Godmother.

Evie and Carlos were placed into the advanced science class. Jay and Mal were put in the same Spanish class. Evie and Carlos got signed up (more like forced into) for French but were taking it at separate times since Fairy Godmother wanted to see how the De Vil boy handled classes with people that appeared his age. Carlos and Jay would take math together while Mal and Evie were in a dull sounding literature class.

Carlos had the interesting luck of being stuck in physical education with Mal. Evie would take it with Jay. They jokingly mentioned that the school was probably afraid to pair the boys together for that class but they were all exceptionally quick and athletic. The girls simply didn't look like they'd run if they had to.

No one could explain how Jay and Carlos landed themselves in advanced history since Dragon Hall didn't go into major detail about how spectacularly the villains had failed. The adults had an image to uphold and couldn't risk having the children of the Isle know about their weaknesses.

Their elective classes had yet to be chosen, replaced with a few days of extra testing during the block to ensure that Fairy Godmother had, in fact, placed the new students in the correct levels.

Mal and Evie were the only ones that gave a positive answer when asked how old they were. It left her uncertain about which grades to place everyone in since she didn't want the children to feel as though they were being set up for failure during their first week of classes.

Carlos proved to be the hardest to sort out since he was visibly younger than the others but outscored them on most of the placement tests. She didn't know enough about him to be able to risk loading him up with all upper-level courses.

The girls got ready in their room before meeting at Carlos and Jay's. Mal and Evie managed to seem calm as they walked down the hallway to find their acquaintances. They each had a feeling of dread that was lingering in the back of their mind.

They paused outside the doorway and exchanged a glance before Evie forced a smile and raised her fist to gently knock on the door.

"What do you want?" Jay called out. There was a sound of a struggle on the opposite side of the door that caused both girls to wrinkle their noses, easily recognizing Carlos' yelp of 'stop it' before one of them answered.

"Excuse me?" Mal spat out. Evie gave a low laugh at the effect Mal's tone of voice had. The door flung open and both boys stood in front of them. Jay had his arm around Carlos and the younger boy looked irritated.

"Let him go," She hissed out through gritted teeth. It only took her raising an eyebrow for him to do as he was told. "We are going to be late for breakfast at this rate." Her gaze settled on Jay first, seeking out any abnormalities that might stand out once they got to their first class. "Evie did you bring your concealer?"

Jay winced at Mal's gaze upon hearing that and took a step back, his head lowering since he knew what she was referencing.

"It's not that noticeable," He muttered and put a few strands of hair over his eye, causing it to completely cover the mark.

"Allow me," Evie sighed and stepped away from the doorway. The door closed behind her then she pulled her makeup kit from her bag. The blue-haired teen studied him for a moment. Her head tilted to the side while she thought over the best way to handle the situation at hand. "Can you sit?"

Jay went to grumble but a stern look from Evie caused him to think better of it, complying almost immediately after she narrowed her eyes at him. She got to work after that, giving a soft warning before brushing her makeup sponge over him. Evie worked carefully until the black eye was no longer visible and bit her lower lip once done.

"All set," The blue-haired teen whispered, growling softly when he went to touch his face. "Don't. It needs to set before you go about prodding it. Mal said we're supposed to be laying low, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jay muttered. He brought up his hands defensively when the girls narrowed their eyes at him. "What? It's not like I asked Jafar for a parting gift."

Mal gave him a look that immediately earned a sheepish expression. "Okay. I mouthed off but the blow wasn't the worst of what our parents have done. He usually doesn't lay a hand on me."

"Jay," The hiss came from Evie. Carlos shrunk back behind her, his gaze focused on the ground. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck and winced when his fingers brushed over the mark his mother left.

"Carlos," Evie sighed and cautiously eyed him. "What was the whimper for?"

The younger teen shook his head and looked down at his feet, shrugging before he spoke. "It's n-nothing."

"Uh-huh," Evie crept closer to Carlos then looked toward where his hand was. "She wouldn't have tried anything knowing we were..." She exhaled. There was no hiding the disgust in her tone.

Carlos didn't answer. The silence earned weary looks from Mal and Jay now that Evie moved closer to the youngest of their group.

"At least she—" Carlos couldn't get the rest of the thought out. He opted for lifting his hand up so his hair could reveal the burn above the nape of his neck. "It's hidden, isn't it?"

No one said anything upon spotting the cigarette burn. Their parents were harsh in their own ways but Cruella seemed to be the most sadistic when it came to punishing her child. None of them would admit it out loud but it was partially why they were so protective of Carlos.

"Yeah," Mal sighed from beside him. "But quit playing with it. We don't have a lot of ointment and I am not feeling like stealing from the nurse this early on into our stay." They had a job to do but the need to fit in had quickly left the villain kids worrying about everything but getting the magic wand.

"Pat your hair back down," Evie added and rounded Carlos once more. She couldn't mask the look of concern that took over. "Is that the only one?"

Carlos didn't meet her gaze. He wished he could change the subject but all three of his friends - _could he even call them that now?_ \- had their eyes on him.

"M-m-most recent one," His ears went red when his stammer came out and he shrunk into himself as though he was expecting a blow for it. Carlos needed a few deep breaths before he was able to continue. "The others are m-mostly healed."

"Bloody hell," Jay grimaced. "She makes Jafar look tame." His expression faltered when Carlos didn't say anything in reply. "Can we head to breakfast now, Mal?" He asked with a slight frown, hoping the subject change would get Carlos to perk up a little.

He, Evie, and Carlos looked expectantly at the leader of their group. Breakfast was the one thing that got the boys up at a reasonable time since the small glimpses of food they got during the first day in Auradon left them curious about what the start of the school day would bring.

"No funny business," Mal narrowed her eyes at Jay. "We don't need to draw extra attention to ourselves." Of course, if they wanted to lay low, it might have helped if they all wore their uniforms but those had been scoffed at and quickly abandoned in their closets since Dragon Hall didn't have a dress code. "Best behaviors during classes. We will regroup at lunch."

"Aye, aye, Mal," Carlos offered a small smile. His words were accompanied by Jay saluting her and Evie rolling her eyes at the boys' antics.

The four left the bedroom after that, traveling close together with Mal at the lead, Carlos behind her, and Evie and Jay taking up the back. They had little trust in their new classmates and were thankful to have been up earlier than most. It meant there were only a handful of students in the cafeteria.

The villain kids stared blankly at the cafeteria once they arrived. Delectable scents caused their stomachs to rumble but they weren't sure of where to start, keeping to the doorway while they watched what the other students did.

"Do you need help?" An unfamiliar voice caused the four to flinch back, looking apprehensively at the owner. A teen a little shorter than Jay looked them over, his nose wrinkling at how the four had jumped when he spoke.

"I'm Aziz by the way," He added with a smile. "Son of Aladdin at your—"

"Check your pockets," Jay interrupted before Aziz finished his introduction. There was something about the stranger's stance that he recognized from his own behavior. The teen raised an eyebrow at him, needing to bite back a chuckle.

The villain kids took a moment to check their pockets, looking relieved that the few trinkets they carried on their person were still intact.

"He can't be trusted," Jay continued, eyeing him with a scowl.

"You're one to talk," Aziz added with a laugh. "Son of Jafar, right?" Mal, Evie, and Carlos watched him and Jay with mild interest.

"Takes a street rat to know a street rat," Jay shrugged. He was about to tack another insult on but Evie beat him to speaking.

"Aziz if you don't mind," She batted her eyelashes at him. "We could use an explanation about how this works. Enough of the referring to each other by who our parents are though. That's a practice the Isle doesn't carry. I'm Evie. You've met Jay and this is Mal and Carlos."

Mal glared daggers at him and Carlos nervously grasped his dog tail, fingers squishing the plush material that was attached to his belt loop.

"You mean breakfast?" Aziz quirked a brow. "Yeah. It's not so bad — Grab a plate then you're able to pick whatever you want. They've got an omelet station and a machine for making your own waffles. The fruit differs every day but it's always fresh."

He received four blank stares in reply and was surprised since Carlos was the only one to speak up.

"We can serve ourselves?" He asked, looking concerned when Aziz nodded. "The teachers don't tell us when to eat?"

"No," Aziz looked a little confused by the question but quickly masked it with a smile. "Breakfast is open from 6:30-8:30 to give students time to eat depending on their schedules. If they had one set time people would miss out since Tourney sometimes has AM practices that take up the majority of the morning. Lunch and dinner are a little stricter but the kitchen is always open after. You just get stuck with canned and boxed goods so it isn't always worth visiting."

"Let's eat then," Mal murmured. They were bordering on revealing more information about themselves than she wanted to give. Aziz had been nice enough. Jay said he couldn't be trusted though and she wasn't about to let any members of her crew get chummy with him.

"We appreciate your help, Aziz," Evie beamed and gave him a small curtsy. He gave a nod before running off to meet the group of boys he had abandoned to get a good look at the new kids.

She shrunk back behind Mal once he left, not feeling comfortable with grabbing food if Mal wasn't the first to do so.

The amount of food was overwhelming for a group of kids that were used to rationing and sometimes going days at a time without a proper meal. Fruit was what they loaded up on since they never had any fresh fruit on the Isle. They each watched how much they put on their plate, easily imagining their parents chastising them for wasting food. In the end, Evie and Mal had half a dish while Carlos and Jay had a full plate and murmured about already wanting seconds.

It was a good thing the teens weren't in the habit of allowing their eyes to handle the task of claiming food. Otherwise, they would have had more food than they knew what to do with. Their stomachs weren't used to proper food so minuscule amounts had been enough. They were able to finish their plates but the idea of lunch was laughable now that their stomachs were full.

"I don't think I'll need dinner," Carlos shook his head and pushed his empty plate away from himself. "Did you see that the oranges are actually orange? The rotten ones on the Isle f-finally make sense."

"And the juice," Evie grinned. "There were so many flavors."

"I'm just happy the coffee didn't have mud in it," Jay rolled his eyes. "It was missing crickets for extra flavoring."

The three's small smiles faltered once their gazes settled on Mal. She was scowling at her empty plate and wasn't as interested in the food as they were.

"We can't get used to the idea of eating what we want when we want to," She murmured. "They may not keep us over the —"

Mal snapped her jaw shut and clenched her teeth. The sudden action caused the others to take on a defensive posture, eyes narrowing the moment they spotted the intruder.

Aziz was back and had two friends with him. There was a blond boy that scowled at them and a brunette girl that had a huge smile.

"We have a class together," Aziz shrugged before giving Mal the chance to tell him to go away. "Well. Carlos and Evie that is. We apparently share a knack for science. Chad's in the class as well. Mal and Jay, you've got Spanish with Lonnie."

The girl that was with him gave Jay a friendly smile. "I figured I'd offer to help you get to class. It took me weeks to figure out the hallways when I first transferred to the school."

"Transferred?" Jay's question was lost to Mal growling at the girl. Surprisingly, Lonnie didn't shrink back.

"We can find the classes by ourselves," She glared at her. "Fairy Godmother gave us a map. We won't be needing assistance from any of you."

"What did I tell you?" The blond beside Aziz spoke up. He looked disgusted by Mal's outburst. "They aren't worth trying to befriend."

"Don't say that Chad," Lonnie scoffed and gently smacked his arm. "They're new and can probably use a friend or two."

"We already have friends," Mal's eyes flashed dangerously. "The four of us are enough. We don't have space for anyone else."

She was spared needing to drop her voice any lower since a bell went off. It was loud enough to make Carlos shudder.

"Great, now we're going to be late," Chad groaned. Jay could have sworn he heard him mutter something about it being the villain kids' fault. Nothing came out of it though since he and Mal arrived at their class on time and weren't called up to the teacher's desk over the ordeal.

"Miss…" The teacher pushed his glasses against the bridge of his nose and squinted at his attendance. His newest students didn't have surnames. "Mal?"

The class turned to look at her and Jay. Mal stared down at the book on her desk, unable to find what the board was referencing. His eyes narrowed and she gulped back the feeling of dread that was churning in her stomach.

"Here, sir," Mal answered. Her voice was far softer than usual. Dragon Hall taught its students that the teachers could not be trusted and usually didn't have their best interests at heart.

There was a pause as the teacher stared at his class list. The boy from the Isle was another three-letter name with no surname.

"Jay?" He finally sighed, earning a nod from the boy.

"Here, sir," Jay shrugged. Like Mal, he was playing polite. The first day of class did not seem like the most ideal time for testing limits.

"Did either of you get the summer assignment done?" The teacher asked, looking down at the two when they didn't immediately answer his question. Their fellow classmates were all staring.

"No sir," They said at the same time, looking equally concerned about it.

"They didn't send us anything past the date we were expected to leave the Isle," Mal offered a shrug. "If there was anything else, the pirates probably took it." The class erupted into laughter, assuming she was joking.

She neglected to mention how the week leading up to leaving was spent cooped up in Maleficent's castle with the others while their parents kept a watchful eye to make sure they didn't do anything that would bring shame to how they were raised. The worst part was barely being able to roam the Isle since Uma and Harry seemed to have a death wish for them all. Shrimpy's crew was pushing in on the section Mal protected and the last thing she could recall was Dizzy whimpering about how Harry kept saying she was next to join the pirates.

"There is no need to call me sir," The teacher sighed and shook his head, deciding not to address the part about the pirates. "You may call me Mr. Willerstein. Do either of you speak a language besides English?"

Mal shook her head. Jay made a face and wrinkled his nose. It took Mal's nudging him to get him to speak.

"A little bit of Arabic, sir," He mumbled. "Father wanted me to know Agrabah's native tongue. He thought there would eventually be a chance I'd visit."

"Again on the sir," Mr. Willerstein murmured. He raised an eyebrow when Jay and Mal looked down at their desks.

"It's a habit," Mal glared at him. "Sir and ma'am are a sign of respect on the Isle."

"Noted, but I will not be answering to señor once the expectation of speaking in Spanish comes about."

Jay and Mal shrugged in response then busied themselves with looking through the textbook on their desks. Thankfully, the class went by without their being picked on again.

Unfortunately, science didn't go as smoothly for Evie and Carlos. The teacher began the class with a pop quiz on a lesson from the week before and didn't allow students to use their books. That rule was in place for Carlos and Evie as a way of seeing just how prepared their schooling on the Isle had them.

He didn't give them the chance to look through the textbook before the quiz and seemed set on embarrassing them. Evie kept having to place her fingers over Carlos's wrist and gently squeeze to get him to stop growling each time the teacher called on one of them.

Lunch was a welcomed reprieve for the four children from the Isle. None of them ate anything but they used it as an excuse to stock up on snacks that wouldn't go bad if kept in their closets.

"C-Can we check out the library tonight?" Carlos asked, nervously eyeing Mal when he spoke. "See if there's a space we can claim for studying."

Jay scoffed at the use of 'studying.' The sound escaped and Carlos looked dejected. "He's got a point."

"I do?" Carlos couldn't mask his surprise at Jay agreeing with him. "N-No, I mean—" He trailed off and crossed his arms over his chest then spoke in a way that made him sound more certain of himself. "I do."

"We can't have the teachers thinking the Isle didn't teach us anything," Jay shrugged. "Not with the way the science teacher kept pressuring me and Mal."

"You too?" Evie grimaced. "He kept calling on me and Carlos."

"We aren't here to worry about grades," Mal's voice was a harsh whisper.

"What if they kick us out?" Carlos whimpered. The teachers seemed nicer than the adults on the Isle but their seriousness about learning left him doubting they would let them stay if they flunked their coursework.

"We can test the waters," Mal shrugged. "Give it a week of doing the minimum then adjust from there. Besides, if we do end up in the library it will be for scouting out the magic wand, not trying to prove our worth to the people that stuck us on the Isle in the first place. Is that understood?"

There was a moment of silence where Jay, Evie, and Carlos exchanged a look with each other before slowly nodding.

"That's what I thought," Mal smirked then rolled her eyes. "At least there's one last class on this day from Hades."

The others were silent, another nod happening just to show that they heard her. Carlos and Jay busied themselves with stuffing food into their bags. Evie studied her nails, searching for the smallest of imperfections. The argument that would come if any of them disagreed with Mal's plan wouldn't be worth it. Earning their parents' approval from getting the wand was something they all wanted and Mal could immediately shut them down just by pointing that out.

Their arrival at their last class was marked by the four standing in the doorway of the classroom, immediately on edge because there were no other students.

"It's a trap," Jay whispered. Fairy Godmother was not in the room yet and the four couldn't bring themselves to stepping foot in the large classroom. "The windows are too high up and this is the only door."

He gave the room another look, searching for an alternative way out in case Fairy Godmother's teaching style consisted of something similar to the teachers back on the Isle. A quick way out would guarantee the group was safe if they upset her.

"We take the middle row," Mal announced once her own appraisal of the room was through. "Close enough to the front but out of reach. Jay and I will take the seats by the aisle. Evie and Carlos that leaves you in the middle."

It took Mal and Jay entering the room first for the other two to follow. Carlos kept a vice-like grip around his dog tail. Had they been on the Isle, they would have been ambushed by now.

They were holding their breath by the time they got to their seats, a sigh escaping once they were seated and nothing happened.

"Good afternoon, class," Fairy Godmother appeared at the front of the classroom, having come through a hidden door between the chalkboards.

The teenagers didn't answer. Carlos jumped into Jay's lap, shaking despite the strong arms that wrapped around him. Evie looked like she swallowed a lemon and Mal looked unimpressed by the woman's entrance.

"We're safe, Los," Jay whispered and released Carlos. The younger teen's ears were bright red as he removed himself from Jay and settled back into his seat. He unhooked the dog tail from his pants and began to play with it.

"Welcome to Remedial Goodness. I'm Fairy Godmother," The only acknowledgment the woman earned was Mal tilting her head at how she didn't call their reactions out. "I hope the first day of classes went well for you all." None of the students answered. This caused her to take a deep breath then turn toward the chalkboard on her right. "We will be using today to define goodness. A closer look at the traits that separate good and evil."

"Wow, sounds fascinating," Mal gave an exasperated sigh. "Is that why this is the only class that meets every day of the week?"

Fairy Godmother decided to ignore Mal, noting the confused looks the four shared when she didn't say anything about the girl's sarcasm.

"That is only for this week. We still need a few more exams before your official schedule is set," She stated without looking at Mal. The purple-haired teen looked a little offended but was quiet besides that. "You will be seeing me Tuesdays and Thursdays once we get into a normal routine."

"How thrilling," Mal rolled her eyes. "Defining good and evil for today. What will next week be, giving candy to babies?"

"Mal, if I could please begin the lesson," Fairy Godmother spoke softly. Her tone was enough to make the four teens stare at her. They knew what Mal was doing — baiting the headmistress to try to get a reaction out of her. It wasn't anything new but Evie and Jay were a little shocked that she was laying on the sass so early on.

Mal waved her hand and pulled her sketchbook from her bag, beginning to doodle. Evie and Jay shifted their attention to the board and Carlos fidgeted with a stress ball he stole off another student.

"We will begin with defining goodness. Carlos, what do you believe goodness is?" Fairy Godmother looked expectantly at him.

The young teen looked alarmed and sat up straighter. "I-I d-d-don't…"

"Carlos," Evie exhaled from beside him. "Take a breath. Try again." Carlos did as he was told, taking two deep breaths before trying to answer again. A look of relief washed over when the teacher didn't chastise him.

"I don't know, ma'am," He looked down at his lap. "I- I guess it would be d-doing the opposite of evil."

"Precisely," Fairy Godmother nodded. "We will begin with a few scenarios." The teens remained silent as she turned away from them. A low scoff escaped from Jay and Mal once they spotted what was on the board.

_You see a puppy on the street. Do you:_

_A. Kick it_

_B. Steal it_

_C. Drop it down a well_

_D. Return it to its owner_

"That's easy," Jay shook his head. "B." Fairy Godmother made a face and shook her head.

"D," Mal rolled her eyes. "Return it to its owner." Fairy Godmother nodded then moved onto the next question. Mal gave the right answer every time.

"How are you doing this?" Carlos asked and gave her a confused glance.

"It's simple," Mal didn't look up from her drawings. "Just pick the answer that is the least amount of fun."

"Oh," Carlos shook his head. The next couple of minutes passed with Evie, Jay, and Carlos on the edge of their seats trying to answer Fairy Godmother's questions.

"We are nearing the end of the lesson," Fairy Godmother announced, surprised to get a groan from Carlos. "Our last section for today will be a brief overview of love. The word can be defined as 'an intense feeling of deep affection' or 'a strong affection for another arising out of personal or familial ties.'"

"I don't understand," Evie wrinkled her nose. "What does that have to do with goodness?"

"Having love in your heart allows you to do good," Fairy Godmother reassured her. "It gives you a capacity to treat others in a way you would want to be treated."

"I'm not buying it," Jay shook his head. "The Isle doesn't—" Mal growled under her breath. The sound caused him to trail off. "They didn't encourage love back at our old school is all."

"I am certain you have all experienced love in one way or another," Fairy Godmother nodded. "And I plan to get you to prove that. Your first homework assignment will be writing one page about what love means to you. A memory to go with it. We will share them with each other on Wednesday."

"You're kidding," Mal was the first to speak. Her breaking the silence after Fairy Godmother's announcement was made caused Carlos and Jay to laugh nervously.

Fairy Godmother looked at Mal, expression unchanging before she answered. "I don't joke about schoolwork. One page about what you think love is for Wednesday. We'll consider it an ice breaker."

"Right," Mal nodded. The others gave a nod as well. Evie held her breath, expecting Mal to challenge the teacher. Thankfully she didn't so they were spared finding out what would happen if she mouthed off.

"Is that all then? Mal gulped back the uneasy feeling that was taking over.

"I suppose it is," Fairy Godmother nodded. "Class dismissed. Please make sure you drop by the cafeteria for dinner."

"Yes ma'am," Evie nodded, grateful that Goodness Class was the last class of the day. Fairy Godmother missed the chance of saying anything else since the new students were already out of their seats. The four remained quiet until they were certain she hadn't followed them.

"This is bullshit, " Mal growled through gritted teeth.

"It's one page," Carlos mumbled. "It can wait until after we eat."

"Yeah, because we all plan on eating," Mal scoffed.

"Well, no," Carlos gave her a sheepish expression. "But I still want to see what dinner looks like. We don't need Ben asking why we weren't there and we can go to the library when we're done."

There was a beat of silence where Jay, Evie, and Mal gaped at Carlos. He sounded incredibly sure of himself and hadn't stammered during his explanation. They were slightly impressed — even Mal.

Mal wrinkled her nose then gave an exasperated sigh. "Sounds like a plan." The shocked look Carlos gave her caused Jay to burst out laughing.

"To dinner then," He announced with another laugh.

"To dinner," Evie and Carlos nodded. Mal rolled her eyes then led them to the cafeteria.

Unsurprisingly, none of the teens from the Isle had much of an appetite. They settled on grabbing juice and a couple of scones to look like they were eating something.

Mal was hyper-aware of feeling as though someone was watching them. They were _**new**_ so someone was bound to be keeping an eye on them.

"That's all you are eating?" The scoff caused the four to flinch. Mal grimaced and bit back the insult that was threatening to fly from her lips. Ben and Audrey stood before them. She would have done anything to wipe the fake look of concern from Audrey's face.

"I don't see why that is any of your business," Mal let her teeth show. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"We wanted to check in is all," Ben offered with a small smile. Hopefully, the expression would be enough to ease the tension between Mal and Audrey.

"No, _you_ wanted to check in," Audrey rolled her eyes. "I was perfectly fine with the idea of staying at our table."

"Seriously though," Ben sighed. "It looks like you barely touched the food." Carlos cast a glance at Mal, sensing the danger that was threatening to appear. He nudged Evie and was grateful that she spoke up before Mal got the chance.

"We do not get a lot on the Isle," Evie shrugged. "Breakfast could have lasted us for three weeks. It's going to take some getting used to."

Ben and Audrey paled upon hearing that. It took a moment for either of them to speak up.

"What do you mean?" Audrey raised an eyebrow. It was the only other sign that she was concerned by what was said. "Auradon sends a shipment out every month."

"Of trash," Jay scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. A small smirk appeared when he spotted the way Ben's expression changed. "Mostly canned goods and rotten fruit." He gave a pause for dramatic effect. "Did you know bananas are actually yellow, not brown?"

"You forgot about the br-broken furniture and torn up b-books," Carlos added with a nod. "And oranges being orange."

Prince Ben did his best to maintain his composure. He was under the impression that the mainland sent fresh goods over. His gaze traveled from the boys to Evie and Mal. Evie's grim expression left him assuming they had to be telling the truth. It also explained why they all seemed so skinny compared to the rest of his classmates.

"This is the first time I am hearing of this," He winced internally at the annoyed looks he earned from the villain kids.

"Maybe if the kingdom checked in more often," Mal scowled. "We only ever see officials when it is time to update the royal portraits." Evie and Jay rolled their eyes at that. "And you're lacking in doing that. I had a little bit of fun defacing the most recent one of your parents."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Ben couldn't hide his concern, knowing he would have to call his parents to make sure the information was true. The most alarming thing was the way all four shook their heads in unison.

"No, nothing else," Evie and Mal said at the same time. Evie looked down at her lap and bit her lip to show she was done talking.

"Right, I—" Ben was relieved to feel Audrey's fingers in his. She ran her thumb over the back of his palm. "I plan to check in with my father on that."

None of the villain kids said anything in reply. They were silent until Ben left, holding their breath while they waited for someone to speak.

"What did he expect?" Mal growled lowly. Her eyes flashed green. "Sunshine and daisies? Those shits don't care about us."

"Easy Mal," Jay sighed. "They aren't worth getting angry at — We don't want to give them an excuse to ship us back this early on."

The rest of the meal was incredibly unappetizing after the run-in with Ben. The villain kids pocketed the little food that was on their plates then headed to the library.


	4. Let's Get Down to Business

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: As a heads up, there is a flashback of Cruella graphically mistreating Carlos in this chapter. There is a page break before it hits and the text will be italicized. It begins with 'A whimper broke out between clenched teeth,' and ends with 'I'm sorry, momma,' if you are looking to properly skip it over.

The library proved to be the most impressive thing the Auradon had to offer so far. Two floors of books stacked to the ceiling with couches, plush seats, and alcoves in every corner. Large ladders allowed students to access the books that were out of reach.

Evie and Carlos struggled to contain their excitement over the amount of knowledge available in the room. Jay didn't know where to look.

"We're going to the second floor," Mal gave the three a moment to drink in the new location before taking the lead. They followed her up the twisting flight of stairs and were relieved to see the second floor was dimly lit and seemed to have areas to study in.

Mal led them to a corner in the back of the library. There were a few end tables and different seats to use. Jay claimed the chaise lounge and draped himself over it. Evie took a seat on the sofa across from him and Mal claimed a cushioned armchair, dragging it closer to the table in the center of where they sat. The older three hadn't noticed Carlos' reaction of giving the sofa Evie picked a horrified look, shaking, then darting behind it.

It took a moment for Jay, Evie, and Mal to get settled. There was a beat of silence then Mal was the first to say something.

"Carlos?" Mal looked around, having yet to discover his cowering form. "For fuck's sake, now is not the time to—"

She was interrupted by Jay bringing a finger to his lips and pointing his opposite hand toward Evie's sofa.

"I got him," Evie mouthed then leaned over the sofa. "'Los," She exhaled. "Come sit with me."

"N-n-not allowed," Carlos curled into a ball. He shrunk down as small as he could get and pressed his back against the wall, hoping it would eventually open up and swallow him whole.

"Carlos," Mal grimaced. He was bordering on hitting the point where he shut down and fled. She cast a glance at Evie and earned a shrug in reply. "Pup, what's the problem?"

"Runt's n-not allowed — t-too dirty," Carlos shuddered. Mal and Evie wore identical looks of disgust upon piecing together what the problem was.

"You don't need to sit, pup," Mal sighed. Cruella was going to get an earful out of her once they were back on the Isle. She would have ripped into Carlos for hiding information from her and the others but he seemed too fragile to try doing so. "Come out where we can see you." Carlos didn't move. Mal allowed another second to pass before raising a brow and sighing. "That's an order."

The three were silent while Carlos slowly shuffled out from behind the couch. He was shaking and didn't look any of them in the eye.

"There we go," Mal offered him a small smile from where she sat. There was a shuffling sound as Jay slid off his seat to join Carlos on the floor, gently draping his arm around the younger boy once beside him.

"We're in Auradon, mate," He sighed. "Whatever rules that bitch filled your head with don't apply here."

"She's my m-mom," Carlos hissed out then leaned into Jay's grasp, pressing his head against his shoulder while he tried to regain control of his emotions. "Have to listen."

"She isn't here," Jay shook his head. He decided against saying anything else, waiting for Carlos to relax beside him. "Mal…"

The purple-haired teen raised a brow, waiting to see how Carlos was behaving before she decided to talk. His reaction to being told to sit on the sofa left her treading carefully. She couldn't afford to set him off. The most strategic thing to do was focusing on the first homework assignment they were given.

Mal took a notebook from her backpack and a pencil, absentmindedly drumming her fingers against it until Carlos looked up at her. She gave an overly dramatic sigh once his attention was on her.

"She seriously must be on something," Mal sighed. "Making us write about love right at the start." None of the others said anything at first. Jay and Evie looked a little concerned since she hadn't immediately gone off about how they needed to get the wand. Carlos appeared to relax.

"I mean," Evie shrugged. "It seems like a good place to start. Not that I appreciate it. You don't think she's looking for stories about our parents or something?"

Carlos inhaled sharply at that. The wound of the others knowing his mother preferred her furs over her own son was still fresh.

"I hope n-not," Carlos mumbled into Jay's shoulder, curling closer to the older boy. Jay absentmindedly rubbed his back.

"We can find something that doesn't involve our parents," Jay whispered softly. His father rarely raised a hand on him (the bruise before leaving having been well earned since he had been disrespectful) but he wasn't any good at showing affection past praising him for keeping the shelves stocked. He hadn't even gotten a hug before leaving the Isle.

"I could always write about how m-mum prefers her furs over me," Carlos offered a weak chuckle.

"Yeah," Mal rolled her eyes. "And end it with mentioning how she made you sleep on the street the last time the furs got messed up. She'll love that."

"Mal," Evie gave her a warning look. She relaxed slightly when Carlos started laughing. He finally dislodged himself from Jay, sticking to leaning lightly against his side.

"We find something to write or get a glimpse at detention," Jay sighed. "Assuming they are anything like the Isle. I can't believe I'm saying this, but getting the work done seems preferable."

Mal and Carlos groaned upon hearing that. Jay was usually the one that screamed for rebellion and breaking the rules.

"Where do we start?" Mal asked in a monotone. She wasn't going to get personal with her group in public. If anything, she would open up to Evie once back in their dorm.

"I don't know," Evie shook her head. Jay and Carlos shrugged in reply. "Maybe a list of moments that made us happy back home?"

"A list of moments," Mal wrinkled her nose. "That won't take long."

Carlos was already writing in his notebook. The older three looked on with a bemused expression, wondering what he was thinking about.

"She wants a page from each of us," Evie groaned. "But she didn't say we can't work together. Maybe…" The rest of her thought was lost before she could finish. A student she didn't recognize was approaching their table.

Her silence caused Carlos to look up and pull his notes to his chest, getting defensive almost immediately. "What d-do you want?" He snarled. Jay cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed when he didn't flinch.

"Easy, 'Los," He whispered. The girl that approached seemed timid enough without Carlos turning into a guard dog. The student clutched her book bag close to her chest.

"Sorry," The short-haired brunette squeaked out. "I-I." A whimper interrupted her words and she blushed. "Need a book."

Mal raised an eyebrow at her. It was the first time a student seemed properly terrified of them instead of staring at the group like they were an experiment.

"We aren't stopping you," Mal looked amused. The girl's blush deepened.

"Sorry," she squeaked again. "As you were. I-" The girl skirted around the couch Evie was on. Carlos exchanged a glance with Jay then growled lowly. It caused the student to grab a book at random and take off running.

"Good boy," Jay chuckled and ran his fingers through Carlos' hair. Carlos leaned into his touch at first then growled and promptly elbowed Jay in the side.

"Boys," Mal hissed out before they got the chance to start roughhousing. Carlos pouted and Jay ruffled his hair one more time.

"Worth it," Jay winked at him and rubbed the spot Carlos' elbow collided with. The younger teen muttered a few curse words then sat back up. He crumpled up the paper he scrawled notes on.

"Carlos?" Evie tilted her head, unable to disguise her look of concern. "Why? You had a bunch written—"

"It's nothing," He interrupted her. "I don't — don't like the idea of doing th-the assignment here. T-t-too personal." Evie and Jay nodded. Carlos looked expectantly at Mal.

"What?" She snapped, earning shocked looks from the others. "I thought Carlos was taking the lead for the assignment."

"N-n-not in the mood," Carlos' scowl and attempt at an angry look were ruined by his stammering. He leaned into Jay's side and mumbled against his shoulder. "N-nothing to write."

Evie and Mal exchanged a glance, their unspoken communication resulting in Mal making a tsk noise and rolling her eyes. Jay tugged Carlos close to him and sighed.

"We can call it a night then," Mal shrugged. "There isn't anything else for us here right now."

"We'll go back to the dorm and figure stuff out from there," Jay murmured.

"Fine," Carlos exhaled and looked at Evie then slowly brought his gaze to Mal. "G'night."

* * *

_A whimper broke out from between clenched teeth, Carlos shuddering on the table he laid face down on. His arms were strapped up over his head, feet immobile due to Jasper taking the order of not allowing him to move seriously._

_His shirt had been stripped off, Jasper having enjoyed ripping the threadbare cloth from his form. He could already imagine Evie fussing over the shirt since it was one she had planned on restoring for him._

_The anticipation was always the most terrifying part._

_Carlos missed curfew by twenty minutes. He snuck in through the back and had been in the clear until he passed the sitting room._

" _I whistled for you," He didn't need to see Cruella to know she was pissed at him. She brought the dog whistle to her mouth and gave one blow, lowering it from her lips before she continued. "You didn't come."_

" _I'm sorry, mo—" A slap across the face sent Carlos toppling to the ground. He didn't say anything else, simply glaring at his mother from the floor._

" _Twice in one week," She shook her head. "We'll have to make this punishment count." Carlos drew blood from biting back the whimper that nearly escaped. Any verbal response only ever counted as a way of worsening his punishment. He vaguely remembered being dragged down the stairs to the basement, Jasper and Horace smirking at him from the shadows before they strapped him down._

_He could hear his mother breathing from somewhere on his right, the sound terrifying since he couldn't see what she was planning on doing to him. Last time it was the belt. The welts had only just healed enough to allow him to sit at school without wincing each time he breathed._

" _Worthless mutt," Cruella growled out. Carlos' nostrils twitched from the scent of cigarette smoke. There was a moment of silence then he felt something hot on his shoulder. His mother firmly pressed her cigarette into his back, smirking when he didn't cry out. "This should teach you."_

_Carlos couldn't tell what she was doing but his mother appeared to be making a design on his back — if the sudden release of pressure followed by scalding hot pain meant anything. She muttered a few swears as she continued to work, pressing the cigarette down deeper whenever Carlos whimpered or flinched from her touch._

_She pulled back after what felt like an eternity. Carlos was given a chance to breathe, form shaking while he tried to regain the little bit of control he was holding over himself. The next movement from his mother had him seeing stars. She held her lighter over her son's back, underlining the work she had done._

_The word 'RUNT' was burnt into Carlos's upper back. It had to be enough of a lesson to make him know his place. She was growing tired of having to constantly remind him of her expectations._

_The lighter touched just below his shoulder blades, causing him to scream out in pain. A pair of hands pressed him firmly against the table. He couldn't tell which of his mother's goons had a grip on him but he couldn't care about it. Carlos was far too overwhelmed by the scent of burning flesh and the screams that were escaping from his lips._

"I'm sorry, momma," Carlos screamed out, thrashing in his sheets. "I'm sorry!" Jay sat bolt upright in bed. A moment passed where he glanced around his room. He was in Auradon. The plush mattress below him was enough proof of that.

He slipped out of bed then approached where Carlos was thrashing about, knowing he had to speak to wake him up before getting in bed with him.

"Carlos," He spoke loudly. "We're in Auradon. You're safe. Come on…" Carlos didn't wake up, apologies to his mother continuing to spill out from his lips. The whimpers that escaped from the younger teen left Jay feeling helpless, knowing he couldn't simply make the dreams disappear.

"'Los, wake up," He murmured and sat on the edge of the bed, gently pressing his hand against Carlos' shoulder and squeezing. Jay used light touches in fear of caressing somewhere that caused Carlos to attack him. Thankfully, the teen whimpered and the thrashing stopped. He flinched himself awake. Jay was grateful it hadn't turned into Carlos panicking hard enough to land himself on the floor.

"She's not here," Jay murmured then got into bed with Carlos. He allowed Carlos a moment to figure out where he was before wrapping his arms around him. Jay cautiously tugged Carlos close to him. He pressed his chin against his shoulder and nuzzled him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Carlos curled into Jay and didn't say anything. It wasn't surprising since Carlos wasn't quick to recover from nightmares. Jay and Evie usually took turns in calming him down on the nights they spent as a group. They also covered for Carlos when it came to Cruella's temper. Mal, Jay, and Evie were willing to do just about anything if it meant Carlos not being used as a punching bag by his mother or Horace and Jasper.

"My back," Carlos whimpered out. Jay nodded against his shoulder. Of the group, Jay was the only one to know about the 'masterpiece' Cruella placed on her son's back. It was something Carlos didn't talk about since he didn't want to be pitied for it. Jay only knew because he was the one that was sent to check in on Carlos when he didn't turn up for a week.

"Can I touch it?" Jay whispered. A jerky nod from Carlos gave him permission to gently trail his fingers up and down along his shirt, tracing small circles over the covered scars that littered his back. Jay pressed a kiss to each of Carlos' shoulder blades then shifted his chin back against his shoulder.

Carlos whimpered, shaking from tears that suddenly escaped. The overwhelming feeling left him with his eyes closed. Jay didn't say anything else, cuddling him until they both fell back asleep.

The alarm went off several hours later, both boys flinching at the sound.

"For Hades' sake," Jay hissed out, having taken Carlos' head to the nose. The pain didn't linger long enough to leave him worrying but it still stung. He didn't smell any blood.

"How are you feeling?" Jay whispered once he checked that his nose wasn't bleeding, able to hear Carlos's heart racing when he shifted back against him. Carlos shrugged then rolled over so he was facing Jay.

"Ready to t-take on the day," He muttered, unable to look Jay in the eye. "What time is it?"

"Seven," Jay shrugged. "We can stay in bed a little longer." Carlos sighed and leaned closer to him. "You sure you're okay?"

"It was just a dream," Carlos mumbled against Jay's chest. He didn't sound too sure of himself. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Better me than Mal or Evie," Jay chuckled. "You know how they are when they don't get their beauty sleep." He paused and looked Carlos over, noting the bags under his eyes. "Would it be easier if I offered to let you join me in bed on the nights you expect the dreams to pop up?"

Carlos looked shocked upon hearing that, rapidly shaking his head before he stammered out an answer. "N-n-no. I-I can't— I never know when they're…"

"'Los," Jay exhaled. "If it means both of us sleeping through the night I don't mind sharing."

"You m-mean that?" Carlos whimpered. Jay pressed his forehead against his and nodded.

"'Course I do, mate," He murmured. "I should've suggested that from the start. It seemed like something Evie would've said."

"Okay," The word came out in a whisper. Jay barely caught it. They laid in bed another moment, only getting up when the familiar sound of Mal knocking on the door interrupted them.

"Fuck," Jay groaned. "She's gonna rip me a new one for not being dressed." He slipped his shirt off and grabbed his toothbrush from the bathroom, propping it in his mouth before he opened the door.

"Good morning, sunshine," He winked at Mal. Evie gave a soft laugh from beside her.

"Not even dressed," Mal wrinkled her nose. "What happened to being up and ready by 7:15?"

"Carlos," Jay mouthed then grabbed his clothes for the day and disappeared into the bathroom. Evie and Mal entered the room and looked Carlos over. The bags under his eyes and panicked appearance explained everything.

"Aw pup," Evie sighed and plopped down beside him on the bed. "Nightmares again?"

"Something like that," Carlos whispered and leaned into her, needing the close contact. "D-do you think you can make the sleeping drought from the Isle?"

Evie nodded despite not knowing if Auradon had the proper ingredients. The one saving grace was assuming their new home must have something to the same effect.

"I'll try, 'Los," She murmured then hugged him. "I would've come prepared but I— I feel so silly admitting it." The blue-haired teen paused to hold back the frown that was trying to form. "I figured being here would lessen the trauma from home. Minor healing salves were the only thing I thought to bring since none of us knew how leaving home would go."

"Enough small talk," Mal sighed. "We'll miss breakfast at this rate." Her voice lacked its usual bite though. Having seen how Carlos was the night before left her understanding that he didn't need to be chastised this early on in the day.

"Right," Carlos sighed. His version of getting ready was simply slipping a pair of shorts over his boxers then disappearing into the bathroom to change his shirt and brush his teeth. Thankfully, Jay was done by the time he got to the doorway.

"How long until Fairy Godmother tries forcing uniforms on us?" Jay sighed and placed a beanie on his head.

"I bet the first few weeks are a grace period," Evie shrugged. "Let us adjust and all that. Besides, we only survived a day of classes. Who's to say the rest of the week will go well?"

Mal gave a nod of agreement. "Did you make an indent on the homework assignment?"

"I have to write it. But I think—" He paused, needing to remember the memory correctly. "I think I'll be writing about that time Uma and Harry stooped low enough to ask me and you for help with making medicine for Gil."

"Huh?" Mal wrinkled her nose in confusion. "I don't remember…"

"Seriously?" Jay quirked a brow at her. "The pirates were on edge for a week. Uma and Harry wouldn't leave the docks and it turned out we had one of the ingredients they were desperate for. Harry practically begged me to help. It was back during that winter where we barely saw Gil because he kept getting sick. I only teamed up with them because he's the most tolerable of the trio. You know Gaston wouldn't have given a shit if he died."

"Right," Mal's eyebrows rose up in a way that made her look like her mother. "I forgot about that. It was the only time she didn't lash out at my calling her Shrimpy."

"Yeah," Jay shook his head. The memory was one that stood out purely because he would have done the same had it been Mal or Carlos. "What about you?"

"No idea," Mal mumbled. "Maybe Evie making a dress for me but that — Does that count as love?"

"I would think so," Evie answered. Jay and Mal jumped since they forgot she was there. "I don't make clothes for everyone I meet. I considered it a sign of peace between us since…" She didn't need to continue for Mal and Jay to know she was referencing not having invited Mal to her birthday party.

Carlos exited the bathroom and was surprised to find the other three by the doorway. His expression shifted from fear to something a little less worried.

"I— You were- weren't waiting too long?" He whimpered. His friends shook their heads in unison.

"Nah, you know I would've made a show out of getting you to hurry up," Jay chuckled. "Mal and I figured out what we're writing. I'm planning to get it done during history."

"Oh," Carlos paled. "I still don't…" Evie took his hand in hers and gently squeezed it.

"I'll help you," She smiled at him. "And you can help me. I don't think I can use you rescuing me from your bedroom since we've yet to find bear traps in the school."

"And I don't think I can write about you giving me my first pillow since…" Carlos tilted his head toward his bed. "They have too many here."

"Figure it out during breakfast," Mal shook her head. "I want to use tonight on locating the wand."

Evie and Carlos nodded. Giving a negative response would only cause Mal to lash out on them. She hadn't had coffee yet so it wasn't worth bickering over.

Their arrival in the breakfast hall caused several students to stare at them. The four glared right back before getting in line to grab food. Jay and Carlos grabbed significantly less food than their first day, wanting to have room for lunch.

"Alright," Evie sighed from beside Carlos. She had a bowl of fruit in front of her and a muffin in her hand. Her notebook was open with a blank page staring up at her. "I think I will write about how I consider you and Dizzy as the little brother and sister I never had."

Carlos smiled upon hearing that. He tried to disguise it but hearing that was something that turned his mood around.

"You th-think that?" He whispered. Jay considered kicking him from underneath the table since Carlos had the lost puppy sort of look he occasionally got when praised, opting to nudge him instead.

"Of course," Evie nodded. "How could I not after everything we've been through together?"

"Oh," Carlos blushed. He didn't know what else to say so he shoved a piece of banana in his mouth. The most embarrassing thing for him was truly not being able to describe what love meant to him. His mother had shown it for her car and her furs, never once showing signs of affection to the son she treated as a slave.

"D-do…" He frowned and shook his head. "Bee?" The question earned confused looks from Mal, Evie, and Jay.

"Bee?" Jay tilted his head in thought. "As in the cat?" Carlos gave one nod as an answer then pointed to his notebook. "Yeah. That seems reasonable to write about."

"We need to be done before dinner tonight," Mal added with a scowl. She also had her notebook out and had started writing. "Or else."

"Aye aye," Carlos muttered under his breath.

"Of course, Mal," Evie nodded.

"Consider it done, captain," Jay saluted her.

Mal rolled her eyes then started writing across the piece of paper. She needed to appear strong in front of her friends. They didn't need to know it was her third draft on the subject since she wasn't exactly sure she picked the best topic to write about.

"Did she say we need to share with the class?" Mal groaned. Her question earned nods from Evie, Jay, and Carlos. It made the assignment even worse knowing that.

Her mother always called love a weakness. Friendship was a weakness. Showing emotions was a weakness. The list of things that made her weak could keep going. Maleficent had no shame in making her faults known.

"Uh, Mal?" Jay nudged her side, smirking when the action earned a light smack from her. "The bell went off."

"Oh," The purple-haired teen shook her head. She was too enthralled with her notebook to have noticed. "Right. I expect the papers done by the time we get out of goodness class. Tonight, we go after the wand. Understood?"

The other three nodded then grabbed their backpacks, ready to go to the first class of the day.

Evie and Carlos sat next to each other during science. They claimed a table in the back and were a little annoyed since Doug took one of the stools across from them. Whispering had become a must as a way of keeping their heads down and not catching the son of a dwarf's attention.

"Here," Evie sighed after pretending to scrawl notes down in her notebook. The lesson on atomic properties was a review for her - especially since getting close to Carlos had resulted in their drilling each other on the periodic table of the elements. She ripped a paper out and offered it to Carlos.

Carlos looked confused a moment then gave a nod and carefully placed the paper in his notebook, beginning to read.

_Love is hard to find on the Isle. It is discouraged and tough to recognize in a land where villains roam free._

_I associate love with the feeling of excitement that comes from running around with Carlos, Jay, and Mal, the need to stand up for Dizzy when the pirates try to steal from her grandmother's store, and the look of joy that creases over Carlos' face when I say I have a new outfit design for him._

_We don't get a lot back home but I was able to let a few people in close. The affection from personal ties seems to match the definition of love we were given._

_I've come to consider Dizzy and Carlos as younger siblings. Protecting them became my priority as soon as I decided I could trust them. They are deserving of happiness and I decided early on that I would do what I can to see the occasional smile on their lips._

_Jay and Mal are a different sort of affection. We didn't think we could trust each other at first. Setting differences aside quickly proved we were allies. My wanting to see them happy feels like an instinct at this point._

_In the end, I don't have a proper definition of love since the Isle discourages most signs of affection. My mother was happy with me as long as I excelled in my princess studies and showed an ability to properly keep up my appearance. That was it for signs of affection._

"It's not much," Evie shrugged. She kept her gaze on the board and spoke in a whisper. "But I think I got the point across."

"It's perfect," Carlos murmured and carefully turned the page of his notebook over so he could hide her work. The teacher was getting too close for his liking. "I've still not figured out what to write."

"Miss Grimhilde," He made the two jump. "I am beginning to think Mr. De Vil is too much of a distraction. I expect you at the front of the classroom tomorrow."

"That's not her name," Carlos spoke up before Evie could. The hair on the back of his neck was on edge, glare deepening when the teacher locked eyes with him. "And that's not my name."

"It's fine," Evie's tone and expression stated otherwise but she didn't want to get on the teacher's bad side. She steeled herself and tried to force a smile. "Grimhilde is my mother. I'm Evie. Eveline if you are going to insist on being professional about it."

Her smile became pleasant enough for the teacher to take a step back from her and Carlos. She eyed him cautiously before speaking again. "Carlos is… Carlos. The teachers back home never tacked his surname on." Granted, they called him worse than that but she wasn't going to expose that.

"Please," Carlos nodded when Evie was done talking. He seldom used manners but there would be no controlling his temper if the teacher continued to refer to him by his mother's name.

"Noted," The teacher grimaced. "The two of you will no longer be sitting next to each other in my class."

"Yes sir," Carlos nodded. "Front table," Evie said at the same time. The teens waited for the teacher to go back to the front of the room before exchanging a look of unease with each other.


	5. I Won't Say I'm in Love

Mal and Jay were the first ones to arrive in the cafeteria for lunch. They grabbed a little bit of food and claimed their usual table, sitting incredibly close to each other while they waited for Evie and Carlos to arrive.

"I don't get it," Mal groaned and leaned against Jay. Her tray was in the middle of the table. A notebook lay open in front of her. Nothing was written on the page.

"What's not to get?" Jay's calm exterior caused Mal to groan in frustration. "Chill, your grapeness. I'm not giving advice at the risk of you exploding on me."

Mal's eyes flashed dangerously and she held her breath, silently counting backward from ten before fixing Jay with a forced smile.

"Affection is a weakness," She spoke through gritted teeth. "You have witnessed my mother say that in person." Mal paused and shifted her chair so she was no longer glued to Jay's side. "How the fuck am I supposed to write about it?"

Jay gave a loud sigh and shrugged his shoulders. He kept quiet while going through his backpack.

"And where the hell are Carlos and Evie?" Mal groaned and glared at Jay.

"We got out early," He reminded her, "The bell hasn't gone off so I wouldn't worry. Here I -" He offered his notebook to her. "I'm finished. And you aren't going to mock me for it since I won't help you again."

Mal gave Jay an annoyed look and took the paper from him. Her nose wrinkled when she began to read.

  * _Love doesn't exist on the Isle but these are sort of close:_
  * _Loyalty between the pirates and what they do to help each other_
  * _My telling them they didn't owe me when I stole ingredients last time Gil got sick_
  * _Their not shouting at me for being sarcastic about helping_
  * _~~Uma hugged me when I handed over the supplies?~~_
  * _The look my father gives when I find something good for the shop_
  * _Knowing I would do anything to stay on Mal's good side_
  * _Evie's loyalty to me and the others_
  * _Being able to speak up when the others can't_
  * _Wanting to do what I can to get Mal, Evie, and Carlos to smile_
  * _Reassuring each other things will be okay even though they probably won't be_
  * _Mal, Evie, and Carlos make me feel safe_
  * _Willingness to lie to Cruella if it means her being less strict on Carlos_



Mal kept quiet when she reached the end of the page. Her eyebrows furrowed together and she offered it back to Jay.

"You gave Harry and Uma ingredients for free?" She didn't bother with hiding her disgust about the subject.

"Well, yeah," Jay shrugged. "It was for Gil. That would have been like us forcing Carlos to thank us after we tricked Cruella into not blaming him when he was a minute late for curfew if I charged them."

"I thought you were rotten to the core, " Mal shook her head. "But that error in judgment has me thinking otherwise."

"Not when it comes to life or death for one of the kinder people on the Isle. He isn't one of ours but that does not mean I would let him die." Gil's predicament reminded him of Carlos. Jay was saved from needing to further explain since Evie and Carlos arrived.

Mal gave him a look that said they weren't done talking and he flared his nostrils at her in return then stuck his work in his bag. Evie and Carlos threw their bags on the table and sat down across from Mal and Jay.

"Speak of the devils." Mal murmured. A quick once over of the two left her noting they seemed agitated. "Alright, who do I need to start with?" She growled loudly when neither of them answered.

"Guilty," Jay rolled his eyes after sensing how nervous Evie and Carlos seemed. He brought both hands up and narrowed his eyes at Mal. "She didn't like one of my answers for the assignment."

"I wasn't aware you're a sap," Mal muttered then fixed her gaze on Carlos. It wasn't a fair approach since he usually cracked within a matter of seconds. She didn't have the patience to ask Evie or him to explain things a second time.

"The science teacher again," Carlos looked down at his lap. "He m-moved Evie."

"And referred to Carlos as Mr. De Vil." Carlos winced when Evie spoke. Mal and Jay wore similar looks of disgust.

"Do I need to talk to him?" Evie and Carlos quickly shook their heads at Mal's question.

"I talked to him," Evie sighed. "Didn't argue about the seat since that was technically my fault."

"All you did was help me," Carlos whispered. "Class is all review anyway."

"Yeah," Evie grumbled. "Mr. Deley appears to take the class seriously though. I'll take the seat being moved over a slap on the wrist." The teachers on the Isle would have done worse than a verbal warning. So far, Auradon's staff seemed to prefer words over actions. The villain kids could only hope that remained consistent.

Carlos nodded in reply, not having much of a point past claiming the Isle's science courses had him ahead of what Auradon was teaching.

"Thank goodness for today's free period, huh?" Mal sighed after a prolonged moment of silence. "Carlos, go grab something to bring back to the dorm if you aren't going to eat."

"Yes, Mal," Carlos nodded and stood from his seat. Jay followed after him. He didn't speak until he was certain the girls wouldn't hear him.

"Are you sure you're okay, Los?" Jay bit his lower lip in an attempt to mask his concern. Carlos shrugged in reply and pocketed a few oranges.

"Fine," He muttered. "What about you?" He and Evie had only ever seen Mal and Jay butt heads once or twice. They always seemed to make things work but the tension between them made things awkward until they sorted their differences out.

"What about me?' Jay asked and slipped a few bags of popcorn and pretzels into his bag.

"M-M-Mal," Carlos's ears went red when the stammer escaped. He looked down at his ratty sneakers and didn't say anything else.

"She'll get over it," Jay shrugged. "I finished Fairy Godmother's assignment and she didn't like one of my answers."

"Oh," Carlos sighed. "I'm still working on mine — Don't tell her that!"

"Scout's honor" Jay winked at him. "But I'll let you in on a little secret. She hasn't gotten hers done."

"So why is she mad at you?" Carlos asked before turning to head back toward the table Evie and Mal were at.

"I let slip that I didn't charge Uma and Harry last time I stole ingredients for Gil," Jay shrugged. "Apparently that choice was not in our group's best interests."

"Shit," Carlos's eyebrows rose up. Even he could acknowledge that wasn't acceptable since they were constantly at war with one another. "Why not?"

"It was that winter where no one saw him because he was too ill to leave the ship," Jay sighed. "My dad and I may live by a thief's code but I put that aside for matters of life and death. I think Mal took it as a sign that I'll challenge her authority. It was months ago so it shouldn't matter."

Carlos nodded, not knowing what to say. They reached the table the girls were at and didn't bother with sitting back down.

"Our dorm or your dorm, your royal grapeness?" Jay raised an eyebrow at Mal. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yours," She shrugged and swung her bag over her shoulder. "Only because it isn't nearly as bright as me and Evie's."

"Lead the way," Jay pretended to bow at her. Carlos gave a nervous chuckle at his antics. Mal and Evie took the lead to the boys' dorm. Their trek was silent until they reached the doorway. Evie and Mal stood far enough away to allow one of the guys to open the door. Unsurprisingly, Jay and Carlos got into a shoving match over who would toss their key in the lock.

A minute of elbowing occurred then Carlos ended up on the ground. Jay used his height to overtake him and smirked once victorious. The lock clicked open and Jay stepped aside to let the girls go first.

"Not fair," Carlos mumbled from the ground. He scrambled backward to get to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest, copying Jay in allowing Evie and Mal to go first.

"You'll have to try harder next time," Jay smirked and ruffled his hair.

"You cheated by going for my shins," He glared at him. Mal cleared her throat and settled on Carlos's bed. Carlos gave a shrug to show he would drop the subject and sat on the ground by his bed. He pulled his notebook out of his bag and ripped a blank paper out of it, crumpling it up.

He threw the paper at Jay and chuckled when it hit his shoulder. "Pretzel me."

Jay muttered under his breath then tossed a bag at Carlos' head, frowning when Carlos caught it with one hand.

"The assignments?" Mal asked once Jay and Evie claimed a spot. Evie sat at the table in the center of the room. Jay powered on the gaming system and was scrolling through characters.

"Done." He murmured without looking away from the television.

"I finished mine this morning," Evie nodded. She pulled her magic mirror from her purse and checked over her appearance. "More lipstick. I should've reapplied after my tea."

"Carlos?" Mal leaned forward on his bed and flicked the back of his head.

"Hey," Carlos cried out but didn't meet her gaze. "I'm nearly done. Just need to type it."

"Can I see?" Mal's question earned Carlos curling into himself and shaking his head.

"You'll hear it tomorrow, okay?" He cast a glance at Jay and was relieved he had turned around to keep an eye on how Mal reacted.

"You expect me to trust you got it done without proof?" She glared down at him.

"I have more of it done than you do," Carlos snapped. There was a beat of silence then he was on his feet, quickly standing behind Evie. He was cowering. Carlos knew better than to talk back. His hands flew over his ears and he closed his eyes, knowing he had seconds before Mal got in his face and started yelling.

"Point taken," Mal gave him a look of concern from his bed. She was jotting notes down. Carlos opened one eye then the other and dug his teeth into his lower lip.

"S-s-s..." He pressed his tongue against his cheek, The reaction had been extreme. Carlos knew she wouldn't hurt him. The fear came from speaking out of turn and immediately expecting the consequences his mother would have given.

"Sorry," Carlos said after taking a steadying breath. He reclaimed his spot and pulled the laptop Jay stole out, opening up the application that let him write.

"You should try talking to Jay like that next time he tries to beat you at opening the door," Mal shrugged. "You'll shock him."

"Haha," Carlos forced a laugh and shook his head. "I keep imagining mum flipping out on me so that doesn't make it worth it." He hesitated then knelt so he could look Mal in the eye, gazing at her from the edge of his bed. "I could hear her yelling at me."

"Fuck," Mal bit her lip. There had to be something they could do about that. She opened her mouth to say something supportive and was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Jay paused the video game, Carlos groaned, and Evie set her blush down, Mal was the one to open the doon, smirking at a confused looking Ben.

"Can I help you?" She quirked a brow at him, head tilting while she looked him over.

"I didn't see you all today so I figured I'd check-in. When you didn't answer at your dorm I assumed you'd all be in here," He smiled. "Doug and I got you each a little something for surviving the first sixty hours here." The mention of receiving something caused Jay and Carlos to stand behind Mal. The four teens looked confused but didn't say anything.

"Can I come in?" Ben asked then stepped into the room after receiving a nod from Mal.

"Carlos, Jay," He offered a red and black bag to Carlos since he was closest. "The finest assortment of chocolates Auradon has to offer." Carlos cautiously took the bag and looked inside.

"Jay, this will last us a month!" He laughed then handed the bag to him. Neither teen took anything from the bag, uncertain if Ben could be trusted.

"Evie, we got you a subscription to two of Auradon's fashion magazines. I figured it was a good idea after Aziz and Doug mentioned seeing a few designs in your class notes." Ben wrinkled his nose, realizing he probably shouldn't have mentioned needing help with the task. "I asked them and Lonnie to keep an eye on you all so we would have an idea of what to get you. This month's copies are from Audrey since she reads them once then never looks at them again. The next ones should be delivered to your dorm."

He offered a blue cloth bag to Evie. She accepted it and gave him a nervous smile in return. A brief glimpse revealed two magazines and a fancy looking book.

"The journals were Lonnie's idea," Ben announced. "She figured you might want to write about adjusting here since that helped her when she started attending Auradon Prep instead of being homeschooled. There's one for everyone and they have a lock and key if you want extra privacy."

"Before you get to me," Mal gave the others a look, sensing their unspoken unease. "What's the catch?

"I don't understand " Ben shook his head. He felt lost since the villain kids wore identical looks of concern.

"The catch," Mal repeated. "People don't give something without expecting something in return."

"That or it's a trick of dangling it in our faces then taking it away to mock the disappointed reaction," Carlos added with a shake of his head.

"I promise you I would never do that," Ben pressed his lips together to suppress a frown. "I figured it was a nice gesture. I can't imagine coming from the Isle and adjusting here is easy."

The four were silent and cautiously eyed him. Jay took a step closer to Ben, eyeing him in search of something that made it clear he was lying.

"So you're saying no strings attached? As in we take these and you won't expect something in return?" He asked.

"Precisely," Ben nodded. "I'm not even expecting any of you to say thank you."

"Okay," Mal nodded, still not sure she could trust him but curious. "Now what's in this for me?"

"An art kit," Ben shrugged and gave her a purple bag. "You're pretty talented, and this will give you a place to properly store your work."

"How thoughtful," The comment was supposed to be sarcastic but Mal was thrown off by his kindness.

"I tried," Ben shrugged. "It isn't much but I wanted to make you feel welcome here. Don't hesitate to find me if you need anything which… Did we provide proper necessities or are you in need of a few supplies?"

"Maybe new makeup?" Evie blushed. "I mean, I'm happy with what I have but they must have been discarded by someone from here. Everything is broken or half empty because of the previous owner."

"Shoes," Carlos whispered. Jay elbowed him to get him to speak up. "Shoes. M-Mine have holes in the bottom."

"Mine too," Jay nodded. "And me," Evie said at the same time. "And probably Mal."

"Yup," Mal rolled her eyes. "They're hard to come by on the Isle so if you get a pair that's it until a miracle happens." Hers were going on three years of use and had been stitched back together too many times to count.

"I'll send Lumiere to properly size you all and we'll have them by the end of the week," Ben managed to keep from frowning. "I'm going to see if I can get a shipment of shoes sent to the Isle as well."

"You don't need to say that," Mal shook her head, "About the Isle that is. Especially if you don't plan on following through on it."

"May I ask what I did to make you think I'm lying?" Ben looked puzzled.

"Auradon doesn't care about the Isle," Mal shrugged. "We're all each other's got since the kingdom proved they can't be trusted."

"Clothes and shoes shouldn't be something kids have to fight for," Evie shook her head.

"You're also being way too diplomatic, "Jay added. Carlos nodded in agreement. Ben swallowed back the need to defend himself.

"As the future king, I will make a point to make things better for where you come from," He took a moment to look each of them in the eyes. "It won't be easy but consider my willingness to try a start. I'll phone my father about getting shoes and clothes shipped over."

The four were quiet after that, all gaping at him. A bell went off and broke the silence. It signaled the ten-minute warning between classes.

"I'll do it now," Ben pulled his phone out and brought it to his ear, stepping out into the hallway. "Enjoy the rest of your day. I will let you know how it goes."

"What the hell was that?" Mal grimaced and went through the bag Ben had given her. "And holy shit, there's an unopened pack of colored pencils and a sharpener."

"I don't know," Evie shrugged. "But he seemed genuine. Maybe we can trust him."

"He has to go through his dad to get things done," Mal rolled her eyes. "That doesn't seem trustworthy to me."

"Yeah, but his coronation is coming up. Maybe he's being truthful about wanting to help more than just us." Jay and Carlos exchanged an uneasy look at Evie's words.

"We still have to get the wand," Mal grumbled. "Why did he have to come in and make thinking about that difficult?"

"Goodness Class must be rubbing off on you," Jay chuckled, ducking out of the way when Mal went to smack him for the comment.

"We're evil," Mal shook her head. "Ruthless and depend on no one besides ourselves. We're not letting a few gifts from the Prince undo the years of training under our parents. Remember, we're rotten."

"To the core," Jay, Carlos, and Evie nodded. Mal gave a satisfied smirk then stuck her backpack over her shoulder, the bag Ben gave her lay abandoned on Carlos' bed as a sign that they would be going back to the dorm after dinner.

"What do you think today's lesson will be?" She asked and waited by the doorway, knowing the other three didn't have a choice but to follow her since they weren't willing to skip class.

"Maybe she'll give us examples of love so we know we're doing the assignment correctly," Jay scoffed.

"That or more picking which activity is the least fun way of handling things," Carlos shrugged. The four left the dorm after that, Carlos locking the door behind him. They walked in silence and were uninterrupted until they reached the bottom of the stairwell that led from the dorms.

Chad was standing at the bottom of the steps and Aziz was beside him. Aziz had a ukulele out and took up an entire step.

"Excuse us," Mal wrinkled her nose at the two. Chad gave her a look of disgust and she glared right back at him.

"Sorry," Aziz shrugged. "This was the only spot that wasn't in the way." He tilted his head when Mal gave him an odd look. "For a few minutes. It started raining so the courtyard wasn't the best place to practice."

"Poor baby," Jay rolled his eyes and jumped over the step Aziz was on. He had enough leverage to land at the bottom of the stairwell, gracefully rolling onto his feet in a matter of seconds.

"Nice," Aziz looked Jay over. "Have you considered going out for one of the sports teams?"

Jay blinked several times, the change in conversation was unexpected. "No. Because that would go against my father's way of raising me. There's no team in I and I'm best working alone."

Aziz slowly opened and closed his mouth, uncertain of what to say. He didn't want to look like a fish so he settled on shaking his head and standing up to allow the rest of the villain kids to pass.

"You're going to find that things are a little different in Auradon," He cringed when he spoke.

"Yes well, as much as I would like to learn more about that, we're going to be late," Jay snapped.

"Damn," Carlos whispered under his breath. He still couldn't understand why Jay seemed so irritated by the other boy. Sure, their parents were enemies but Aziz actually seemed like a nice guy.

"Why do you keep trying to talk to them?" Chad chimed in. His question earned an offended look from Evie and Mal since they were within earshot.

"We can still hear you," Evie scoffed. She gave a glare when her words earned a smirk from the blond boy.

"I'm well aware," He shrugged. "I'll have to be the one to point out how ridiculous your little group is since no one else wants to do it."

"E, he's not worth it," Mal took hold of Evie's hand and pulled her forward, knowing they were bound to be late to Goodness Class at this rate.

Thankfully, the teens arrived just before the bell announcing the class' start went off. A sigh of relief was heard from Evie and Carlos.

"He's lucky I'm not willing to throw my fists out quite yet," Jay mumbled. Carlos shook his head at him.

"We can't risk that," He mumbled and took his notebook out.

"I know," Jay shrugged. "But he seems like he could be knocked down a few pegs. Whose kid is he again?"

"Uh," Carlos tilted his head to the side. "Good question. I don't care enough to find out so you'll have to be the one to ask him."

"Good afternoon class," Fairy Godmother's voice caused all four students to jump. She had appeared from seemingly nowhere.

"You n-need to stop doing that," Carlos shook his head. He slowly took his hands off Jay, having grabbed hold of him in shock.

"My apologies," Fairy Godmother offered a small smile. She paused to write a note down on her desk before looking over each student. "May I ask how your second day of classes has been? We'll go from left to right, starting with Jay."

"What did I do to be picked on first?" Jay chuckled. He shook his head when Fairy Godmother went to say something and offered her a smile. "It's fine. Uh- It's been okay? I got told to look into joining one of the sports teams."

"I can get the coach to approach you if you would like," Fairy Godmother nodded. "They've got Tourney tryouts coming up."

Jay wrinkled his nose then shrugged. "Sure I guess. My dad never saw a need to encourage playing well with others." The concept of a team was something he still couldn't fathom. "Could be an interesting experience."

"Carlos?" The teacher spoke softly, not wanting to startle the timid seeming teen. Carlos bit his lip and forced himself to make eye contact with her.

"Science is all review," He shrugged. "The t-textbook is stuff I already know..." He let his gaze drop to his lap after that. The next comment he was going to make was absolutely terrifying since it meant asking to get the class changed. "Is there anything more challenging?"

Fairy Godmother managed to seem unphased by the teen's question. It was unexpected in the sense that she hadn't pegged him for liking science.

"We offer advanced biology, advanced physics, and an earth studies course," She answered. Carlos's expression lit up at hearing the options. "They each require an exam in order to be placed in the course. It's expected that students get a B or above."

"I'll do it," Carlos blurted out, shoulders shaking from trying to hold back his excitement. "They don't offer earth studies at Dragon Hall though."

"You can still take the placement test if you want," Fairy Godmother reassured him. "It's a mix of physics, biology, and chemistry." Carlos nodded then turned to Evie to show he didn't have anything else to say.

"Prince Ben seems nice," Evie shrugged. "He gave us a welcome gift and said he was going to try to get more supplies sent to the Isle." Her cheeks went red at mentioning the last part. "Is there a way to make sure he follows through on that?"

That bit of information was news to the headmistress. Ben was in the habit of checking in to make sure things were going smoothly for the Isle teens' transition into the school. They weren't due for a meeting until after class let out.

"I haven't heard anything about that," Fairy Godmother answered. "Ben is not one for making a promise and refusing to keep it though. Your being here is proof of that."

"We need to make sure it's followed through," Evie shook her head. "Preferably before winter hits. He said he'd get a shipment of shoes and clothes sent to the kids on the Isle."

The headmistress' eyebrows rose up at that. Like the majority of the adults in Auradon, she assumed the Isle's needs were being sorted out in a way that benefited its citizens. Looking at the four kids in front of her had her sincerely doubting that things were as ideal as the king and queen tried to make them seen.

"He will get it done," She nodded, wishing she could promise it. "I doubt the king and queen would deny children that sort of necessity."

"Thank you," Evie sighed. She had needed reassurance on the matter. "And uh- I can't complain school wise. It's better than I could have imagined."

"Ah, hello dear," The teens stared confusedly at Fairy Godmother then looked behind them. A student had entered. It was the same girl from the library. Evie and Mal stared at her. Jay took hold of Carlos's hand and whispered a warning in his ear, not wanting him to scare her off in front of the teacher.

"Hi mum," The girl answered in a whisper. She gave a nervous glance at the villain kids then stepped closer to her mother. Evie and Mal exchanged a look with Evie mouthing 'mum?' at her.

"I need you to sign off on the form for early dismissal," She blurted out and offered the pen and paper to Fairy Godmother.

"Of course," She nodded. "You four must remember my daughter Jane." Jane gave a discomforted squeal and put her head down, not expecting to be nudged closer to where the villain kids sat. Carlos growled lowly, the sound loud enough for Jane to hear but not enough for Fairy Godmother to pick up on.

Jane went to step backward and her mother gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Jane. This is Jay, Carlos, Mal, and Evie."

"Sorry I interrupted," Jane shook her head and swiftly walked toward the exit of the room.

"It's okay," Mal shrugged. Her casual tone made Jane stop. "We were only going over how welcoming the school has been."

"Oh… kay," Jane whimpered and kept walking, running by the time she reached the doorway that led back into the hall.

"Let's continue," Fairy Godmother's gaze settled on Mal. "We left off with you, Mal."

"It's okay," She shrugged. "Seems too good to be true so I'm trying not to get my hopes up about staying over the holidays."

"We are still working on figuring that out," Fairy Godmother sighed. "The school closes for the winter holidays and the staff goes home. No one is allowed in the dorms during that time. It's looking like the options will be allowing you to return to the Isle for the week or getting a family to host you during the time off."

"Interesting," Mal nodded. The news wasn't exactly relieving but if it meant them not being shipped back to the Isle before they got a chance to get their fingers on the wand, assuming it took weeks or months instead of a few days, she would take it.

"Now to get to today's lesson," Fairy Godmother turned to the board behind her. She went to point to a question and was distracted by Jay raising his hand.

"I have a question," He announced when she paused to look at him. "Can you define love again and give an example?"

"Please," Carlos nodded from beside him and bit his lower lip. "I-I want t-to make sure the homework is right."

"Certainly," The teacher nodded and turned to the board on her left. She wrote down the definition from their last class, neat penmanship stating 'an intense feeling of deep affection' and 'a strong affection for another arising out of personal or familial ties. '

"As for an example," She paused to think. "My daughter and I do family dinner every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. She tries to keep me being headmistress and being her mom separate but comes back every now and then throughout the day to get a smile. I know it's beneficial for her to make friends and appreciate when she randomly shows up since she was the one that told me not to make a big deal out being her mother."

The four teens looked incredibly confused upon hearing that. Fairy Godmother tilted her head to the side and tried to come up with something else. Thinking it up on the spot was proving to be more challenging than she expected.

"Hmm," She mused. "How about the feeling you get when hugging a friend or seeing how excited someone gets when sharing something they are passionate about?" A few blank stares but Jay nodded at her.

"Your parents giving you a hug before you go to bed, maybe your mother having read a book to you at a young age. Your father kissing a scratch on your finger after putting a bandage on it," The blank stares turned into rather repulsed looks.

"P-parents do that?" Carlos asked and immediately put his head down. He hadn't meant to ask the question out loud.

"Most of them do. It's all part of creating a secure connection with our children so they know who they can turn to for comfort." Fairy Godmother nodded. Inside, she was questioning why the teens found her suggestions confusing.

"The Isle could use a couple of Auradon parenting books then," Mal scoffed. "We're taught to tough it out as soon as we seem old enough to take care of ourselves."

Fairy Godmother blinked a few times then brought her attention back to the board on her right. The lesson seemed unimportant knowing that the teens were struggling with the assignment she gave. They didn't need to explicitly say it for her to understand.

"How are tomorrow's assignments looking?" She quirked a brow then erased the board that had the lesson for the day on it.

"I'm done," Jay shrugged. "Evie said she was finished as well." Evie nodded and offered the teacher a nervous smile.

Fairy Godmother looked at Carlos then shifted her eyes to Mal. The two didn't meet her gaze.

"I n-n-need to finish it," Carlos whispered. "It's tougher than it looks."

"Mine's almost done," Mal rolled her eyes. "It's only one example, right?"

"I'll give you the rest of the period to complete it," Fairy Godmother announced. "I still plan on having you share with each other during tomorrow's lesson."

"Thank you," Carlos nodded then pulled his laptop out. He and the others were silent until the bell announced the end of the class.

"There," Carlos whispered and saved the final copy of the draft he made. "I need to print it."

"What does print mean?" Jay gave him a confused look while he packed his bag up. Evie and Mal were ready to head to dinner and stood beside him.

"You know? The thing that- It's a machine that p-puts the stuff from the computer onto paper," Carlos shrugged. "I need the library."

"We'll go there then go to the cafeteria," Mal shrugged. "Load up on food. We have a long night ahead of us."

* * *


	6. So Close

"Everyone knows the plan?" Mal asked and looked the other three over. She had her jacket pulled on and was ready to hunt the wand down.

Carlos appeared anxious as usual, Evie was checking the wand's location for the fourth and final time, and Jay was tapping his foot while he waited to be told they could go.

"Forty-minute walk, break-in, grab the wand, and leave without getting caught," Jay shrugged when no one else answered. "Should be a piece of cake."

"E, Los, " Mal called out when the two didn't say anything. Evie was pocketing her magic mirror. Carlos tapped his phone screen a few more times then looked up at her.

"All set," Evie nodded. She lightly nudged Carlos when he didn't speak.

"Right, " He looked alarmed. "I was trying to find a quicker route but it looks like the last quarter mile is uphill.

"Brilliant," Mal groaned. "Let's go now." The four gathered their things and left the dorm. Jay locked it behind them.

They ran the first mile and a half with Mal and Jay at the lead. Carlos occasionally called out directions. The four were panting when they arrived at the museum.

"Told you we could do it in twenty-five," Jay chuckled and pulled his hair out of the elastic that was holding it in place.

The others groaned, needing a moment to catch their breath. Running hadn't exactly been the plan but it made more sense than taking their time to get there. Carlos was grateful for it since it gave him a chance to not question if they were doing the right thing. It was a little confusing because Ben actually seemed genuine compared to everyone else they met.

"Where do we start, Carlos?" Mal raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Side door," Carlos took the lead, bringing the group to the right side of the building. He frowned when he noticed a security guard. "I was going to say this is less suspicious — but wait, is that your mom's spinning wheel?"

"Huh?" Mal stepped closer to the doorway, eyes widening when she spotted what Carlos was referencing.

"Yeah," She tilted her head. "I never thought I'd be able to see it."

"It's so little," Jay chuckled. Carlos burst into laughter and added, "I'm so scared right now."

Mal rolled her eyes and pulled her spell book out from her jacket. A quick spell caused the guard to prick his finger and drop down, asleep.

"Shit," Carlos whispered. "That was…" He shrugged instead of continuing. His nerves about what they were about to do had come back quickly. "Let's go."

The four were in the museum within a minute, Jay brushing his pants off after having tried to kick the door open. He glared up at the others from his spot on the ground then grumbled a few curse words.

"We want to go this way," Evie announced and pointed to a stairwell. Mal looked in the direction she was pointing and nodded in agreement. The four took off running and took the stairs two at a time, coming to a halt in front of a room that had the opposite of what they were expecting.

The room was darkly lit with spotlights shining down on statues of Auradon's most feared villains. Maleficent was in the center with Jafar and the Evil Queen on either side of her. Cruella, Dr. Facilier, and Mother Gothel were behind them.

"Wicked," Jay exhaled and took a step closer to the statue of his father, looking it over with an impressed expression.

"Mother?" Evie exhaled, her eyes widening when she spotted the red apple in her hand. Carlos stayed near the others at first. His curiosity eventually won over and he wandered closer to Cruella's statue, the figure easily towering over him.

"Momma," He whimpered, shaking while he eyed it. The realistic features left him waiting for her to come to life and start screaming at him.

"Wow," Mal whispered. Maleficent seemed to give off a powerful aura. She was lost imagining everything her mother could have done.

"Uh guys," Jay shook his head and looked at the others, growing concerned when they didn't respond at first. "The wand?"

"Right," Evie seemed alarmed then gave him a more confident look. "The wand. We need to find that and get out of here."

Mal and Carlos didn't move. A whimper escaped from Carlos's lips and Evie and Jay's attention immediately snapped to him.

"'Los," Jay spoke softly and stood in front of him. Carlos seemed to stare right through him. "E, we're gonna have to drag him by the look of it."

"What?" Evie gave him a disgusted look. It quickly went away when she noticed that Carlos was still whimpering and seemingly unaware that Jay was in front of him. "He's not gonna like that."

"What other choice do we have? Mal should be easy to snap out of it. He's too far gone into his head." He frowned when Carlos didn't respond, thus proving his point.

"Alright," Evie bit her lower lip and stood beside Jay, feeling uncertain about what they were about to do. "By the arms or are we going to need to properly pick him up?"

"I'm gonna have to pick him up," Jay sighed. "Can you do the damage control once we're out of the room? He's not going to want me."

"Of course," Evie nodded and stepped aside to give Jay room to get ahold of Carlos. "Then you can get Mal once Carlos is out."

"Sounds like a plan," He pressed his lips together to suppress a frown then picked Carlos up, his arms firmly pinning the smaller teen's arms to his sides because he wasn't about to get his ass kicked for taking control of the situation.

Carlos immediately cried out and started struggling. The sound earned a 'shush' from Evie and her leading the way out of the room, Jay making a face as Carlos tried to get out of his grip. He didn't give up so the younger teen eventually stilled in his arms and looked down, the sign of submission serving as the one that usually appeased his mother and her goons.

"Sorry," Jay grimaced and gently set Carlos down on the ground. "Someone had to do it since you weren't with us for a bit."

"Huh?" Carlos blinked. He was still shuddering so Evie sat down beside him and pulled him in for a hug.

"We tried getting you to leave but you stared right through Jay," Evie shrugged. It wasn't the first time something like that had happened and she doubted it would be the last. The approach of simply carrying Carlos had become the least damaging of their past attempts at getting him to come back to them.

"Oh," Carlos blushed and leaned into Evie's grasp. "She seemed so real I-I was expecting her to—"

"You needn't explain," The blue-haired teen murmured and kissed his forehead. "I get it. My mum's not nearly as terrifying as yours so it was… interesting to see her look so young."

Jay ducked out to grab Mal and crossed his arms over his chest, taking a deep breath before using one of his sterner voices.

"Mal, we need to go," He snapped at her. She turned her head to glare at him but didn't say anything at first, eyes going green.

"You know that doesn't work on me," Jay rolled his eyes. "Too much practice in seeing right through it."

"Give me a minute," She hissed out and looked back at the statue of her mother. Jay left it at that, knowing the group couldn't afford her freaking out.

"Where's Mal?" Evie asked when he returned. Carlos had disappeared for a moment to scope out the other stairwells since it was clear they had taken a wrong turn. He was practically skipping when he came back.

"I found it," He offered a small smile, still feeling anxious about the ordeal but not wanting to draw attention to that.

"She said she'd be a minute. I think it's time we send Carlos in since she won't yell at him," Jay shrugged.

"I can do that," Carlos nodded and stepped back in the room, his gaze on his feet so he wouldn't risk seeing his mother again. "Hey Mal, we found the wand. Let's go."

Mal turned to look at him. Her glare softened when she realized it was Carlos. The goddamn puppy-dog look he had always caused her to go easy on him.

"Yeah fine," She sighed and walked out of the room. Jay exchanged a glance with Carlos then shrugged his shoulders.

"Nice of you to join us, your grapeness," Jay grinned at Mal. "Evie went ahead to make sure they don't have another guard."

"This way," Carlos announced and took the lead up a different flight of stairs. He nearly bumped into Evie at the top of it, leaning around her to see what she was gaping at. "Whoah." He breathed out. "So that's it?"

"This is almost too easy," Jay chuckled and stepped into the room. The other three followed closely behind him.

"Freeze," Mal called out. Jay, Carlos, and Evie turned to look at her. "We need to figure out a way to-"

"I'm going for it," Jay shook his head and inched closer to the wand. It seemed to cling onto the magical energy in the air - giving the room a buzz of electricity. At least, that was how Jay would have described it since he didn't have magic but could sense something different about the room.

"Jay don't," Mal and Evie yelled at the same time. It was too late though. Jay already dove to grab the wand. He was sent flying back and an alarm went off. The girls made a face and covered their ears. Carlos was laughing.

"Force field and an alarm," He chuckled and offered a hand to help Jay get back to his feet. "You alright?"

"That's just a little excessive," Jay shouted over the alarm and ignored Carlos' hand. He jumped back to his feet then rolled his eyes at the others. "Let's get out of here."

"On it," Carlos shouted and led them down a different corridor than the one they used. The museum appeared to have a similar setup so they would hopefully be back to the entrance in no time.

The four shared a collective sigh of relief once they reached the entrance. The guard was not where they had left him but they hadn't run into him and the alarm wasn't as loud since they were in the control room. Mal, Evie, and Jay went to leave but Carlos hung back, his eyebrows furrowing together when the phone rang.

"Uh, hullo?" He answered and looked over the desk, relieved to see the security guard left a binder open to the page that had the code for turning the alarm off. He punched in a few buttons on the computer and the alarm stopped.

"Do we need to send backup?" The voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Oh no," Carlos shook his head. "It was a false alarm and is all sorted out. One of the chips malfunctioned and everything is back in working condition. Have a goodnight and say hello to the Mrs. for me." He hung up the phone after that and looked the book over again. It showed how the alarm system was circuited. If it weren't for the fact that it would be obvious it went missing he would have taken it.

He pushed a few buttons on the keyboard that controlled the alarm and gave a sigh of relief, having cleared the security camera's memory.

"Carlos come on," Mal snapped and held the door open for him. Carlos flashed her a fake smile and shook his head when he approached.

"The cops aren't coming and the security video didn't catch us," He rolled his eyes at her. "You're welcome."

Jay and Evie didn't speak once they were outside, timidly approaching Carlos and Mal when the door closed behind them.

"Thanks, Jay," Mal growled at him, glare deepening when he met her gaze. "Now we have to go to class tomorrow."

"It would have happened if you were the one to grab it," He retorted in an equally venomous tone.

"Now isn't the time, guys," Evie shook her head. "The guard will be back any minute and being in front of the door isn't the best spot."

She and Carlos started walking and looked relieved when they heard Jay and Mal follow behind them. The two were bickering but that wasn't anything new. They always butted heads if things didn't work out the way they originally planned.

"This means we have to share the assignment tomorrow," Carlos whimpered. Evie sighed and shook her head.

"It shouldn't be that bad," She would have made a promise but she doubted her words. "And you've got me, Jay, and Mal to support you."

"I'm more scared than that time Yen Sid made me list off the first 100 digits of pi in front of the class," He shook his head. "D-Do you feel like spending the night in my dorm?"

"I can do that," Evie nodded. Thankfully, she carried the supplies for removing her makeup in her bag just in case things turned into spending the night in Jay and Carlos' dorm.

The rest of the walk back to the school was uneventful. It took significantly longer than the run to the museum since they were in low spirits. Mal seemed as though she was ready to snap at all of them so Carlos and Evie didn't go out of their way to say anything to her.

Getting back to the dorm proved to be easier than expected since they didn't run into any other students and were back minutes before curfew started. The school didn't allow boys and girls to be in the dorms together but the villain kids didn't care. It had been too eventful of an evening to consider separating.

"We need another plan," Mal gave a tired sigh and lay across Jay's bed. "But we've got the assignment from fairy godmother to focus on for tomorrow."

"Thanks for reminding me," Carlos grimaced. "I-I was happy n-n-not thinking about it."

"Do you think we can move the beds together?" Evie asked. Jay and Carlos gave her a concerned look. "Unless you two would rather sleep on the ground."

"Oh," Jay wrinkled his nose at the thought. "Yeah, why not? Mal, up for a second." Mal rolled her eyes at him but did as she was told, getting off his bed with an annoyed look.

Jay was easily able to tug the bed away from the wall. He did the same with Carlos' and pushed the two beds together to create one big one.

"That'll work," Evie beamed. Mal still looked annoyed about the issue. "We're cuddling. Carlos already asked me to stay here for the night and I know you won't sleep if I'm not in the dorm so I'm not giving anyone a choice on the matter. Go get ready for bed."

"Yes, ma'am," Carlos whispered. Jay gave her a mock salute and the boys disappeared into the bathroom.

"Seriously, E?" Mal groaned. "Why tonight of all nights?"

"We all sleep better with someone there so it makes sense," Evie shrugged. "Besides, this is better than spending the night worrying about needing to present in front of Fairy Godmother."

"You have a point," Mal sighed. "Do you think I can risk going back to the dorm to get our toothbrushes?"

"I wouldn't try," Evie murmured. "I think we've had enough adventure and sneaking around for today. Steal one of Jay's shirts for tonight. I'll do the same."

"Evie," Mal laughed. "Seriously? I wouldn't expect you of all people to want to do such a thing."

"It's better than sleeping in today's outfit," Evie shrugged and went to Jay's closet. "And it'll be big on us since he's the tallest of the group. Unless the school got his size wrong." She took one of the uniform shirts and tossed it at Mal then grabbed one for herself, quickly taking her shirt off since she wasn't sure when Jay and Carlos would be done in the bathroom.

"Hey, see?" She grinned. The shirt fit like a dress and was comfier than she expected. Mal scoffed and stuck hers on.

"Alright, fine. I'll admit it was a good idea. Now come here," She got into the bed and held her arms out expectantly. Evie joined her and snuggled up to her.

"Jay turn off the light," Mal whined once the boys came out of the bathroom. Carlos immediately curled up on the other side of Evie. Jay turned the light off and took the space behind Carlos, pulling him close to him.

"Not gonna lie," Jay sighed into the darkness. "I can't think of another way of ending today. I think we all needed this."

"Shut up, Jay," Mal groaned. Secretly, she agreed with him but saying that much would give the others leverage she didn't want them to have.

Jay's alarm went off at seven as usual and earned a groan from Evie and Mal. The four were a tangle of limbs, with Carlos having ended up in the middle of it. Mal blinked a few times and grimaced, knowing they would need to get up for their classes at some point.

"Do we need breakfast?" Mal covered a yawn with the back of her hand, unwilling to remove herself from Evie. The warmth of the others was something she would happily leech off of. Their being someplace that actually kept them warm didn't change that.

"N-not hungry," Carlos whined. He was incredibly content to have his arms around Evie while Jay had his chin pressed against his shoulder.

"Nah," Jay answered. "This is better than eating." They didn't cuddle up to each other often so Jay would take all the time together that he could. It always left him feeling less stressed than usual.

"No," Evie admitted with a soft laugh. "I'll happily stay here a little longer." Of course, she would have to get up and head back to her dorm so she could change her clothes and do her makeup. The time spent with Jay, Carlos, and Mal was more important than that.

"We're in agreement then," Mal shrugged and shifted closer to Evie. "Do you all know what you plan on telling Fairy Godmother?"

Carlos shrugged and pressed his head against Evie's back as a way of avoiding answering.

"I'm gonna mention Carlos and I studying together back on the Isle," Evie shrugged. "Unless she expects me to actually read off what I wrote."

"Can I talk about this?" Jay asked. He earned puzzled looks from Evie and Mal. "I mean the safety net of being able to rely on you three."

"I don't see why not," Mal shrugged. "I may do something similar though."

"Hey," Jay sat up so he could flick Mal. His moving earned a groan of annoyance from Carlos. "I came up with the idea so you can't take it." Mal gave another shrug and pressed closer to Evie, unwilling to get up.

The four remained in bed for half an hour, only getting up when Evie gave a loud sigh and mumbled about needing to get ready for the day. She and Mal returned to their dorm and Carlos and Jay went about gathering their supplies for the day. They each snagged a candy bar from the bag Ben gave them and grinned at the taste of it.

"That was nice," Evie sighed as she brushed her hair. "Sorry about the wand though."

"I don't want to talk about it," Mal grimaced and pulled her old plans from her bag. She ripped up the ones for the museum and tossed them into the trashcan. "Not until after we get the stupid assignment over with. It'll give me more fuel to want to get her wand."

"Too bad Carlos and I have science first. I hope Fairy Godmother was serious about placing him in a different class. He and the teacher don't exactly get along."

"Why is that?" Mal asked. It was unusual to hear that since Carlos spent most of his time back at Dragon Hall trying to stay on the teachers' good sides so he could learn as much as he could without interruption.

"He's bored," Evie shrugged. "It is all review when compared to what the Isle taught us but I'm benefiting from it. Carlos already knows everything that's in the textbook. You know how he gets when things seem overly simplified for him."

"He's not babying him, is he?" Mal groaned while she changed into her outfit for the day. "I doubt it since he's been no-nonsense with me and Jay but Carlos is on the younger side. I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks he can't handle the curriculum."

"Not exactly," Evie shrugged then paused to apply her lipstick. "Carlos set him straight the moment he tried to and he didn't appreciate it."

"Ah," Mal groaned. She looked around the room to check the time and gave a loud sigh. "Five minutes before the bell, E."

"I'm ready," Evie grinned and smoothed her hands over her skirt one last time. "Let's go meet the boys."

Carlos and Evie arrived at science early and exchanged wary glances with each other.

"Do we want to test him?" Carlos asked, knowing their last lesson had ended with the teacher telling them not to sit with each other anymore.

"What do you think?" Evie sighed. "I know you are planning to switch out of the class but I don't think we need to start with him for the rest of the time you're in here."

"Right," Carlos groaned and pressed his tongue against his cheek. "I'll see you after class then?" It would never be worth starting with a teacher since doing that back on the Isle usually resulted in some sort of punishment. Thankfully, they seemed to know better than to get his mom involved.

Carlos took a seat at a table on the opposite side of the classroom. He would be able to make eye contact with Evie from where he sat and pulled out his notebook, absentmindedly sketching out an idea for an invention he had back on the Isle.

He didn't look up when someone sat across from him, continuing to write down notes in the margins of the paper.

"What's this for?" Chad asked and took the notebook out of his hands. Carlos froze, eyes widening when he met the other teen's gaze. He wasn't good at dealing with confrontation and Jay wasn't there to support him. Panic immediately took over his thoughts.

"Give it back," Carlos growled out at the blond. The student sneered and stood over him, pretending to begin to rip a page out of the notebook. Carlos snapped at that, promptly launching himself at the older boy.

"Whoah," A voice from the left of him said. Carlos managed to climb up Chad and grab the notebook, glaring dangerously at him once back on the ground. The growl he gave was loud enough to catch Evie's attention. Her eyes flashed angrily but she kept her distance since it looked like Carlos had things under control.

"D-D-Don't touch my stuff," Carlos glared at him, shoulders shaking while he tried to maintain control of his emotions. He wasn't prone to giving violent reactions but the need to start shouting was incredibly tempting.

"D-D-Don't t-t-touch m-m-my st-st-st-stuff," Chad sneered at Carlos. A few students chuckled. Carlos took a step backward and brought his gaze down to the ground.

"You took that too far," Evie hissed out. Carlos didn't notice her crossing the classroom, having been focused on his breathing since he was dangerously close to panicking.

"And what are you going to do about it, princess?" Chad rolled his eyes at her.

"Do we have a problem here?" Mr. Deley caused the teens to turn around. Carlos and Evie promptly shook their heads.

"N-no sir," Carlos shook his head again. "N-no p-p-problem." His stammer coming out was proof that there was something wrong but he didn't trust the teacher enough to say anything. He also didn't want to come across as the type of person that needed to call on one of the other villain kids or an adult for every little thing.

"Car-" Carlos shook his head and caused Evie to trail off. She put her hands up and went back to her desk. Mr. Deley looked at Carlos for a moment but thought it best to not question the anxious look the teen had. He would save it for after class - assuming Carlos didn't perk up by then.

"Back to your seats, then," The teacher sighed. He briefly narrowed his eyes at Chad then approached the front of the room.

Much to Carlos' misfortune, Chad took the chair right across from him. Aziz was on Carlos' left and seemed annoyed at the other boy.

"I want to say he isn't usually like this," Aziz rolled his eyes. "But I'm not sure what's gotten into him recently."

"I-I'm fine," Carlos muttered under his breath. He would proceed to not pay attention for the majority of the lesson, only looking up when the teacher called on Evie.

"Who does he think he is?" Evie whispered to Doug. Chad had struck a nerve and the rest of the class was lucky she learned how to control her anger at a young age.

"That's Chad Charming for you," Doug shrugged. "He's… Interesting I suppose."

"Hold on," Evie gave him a confused look. "Chad Charming as in Prince Charming?"

"Uh, yeah," Doug wasn't exactly sure how to handle her sudden interest in his lineage. "Cinderella's his mom."

"Well, he doesn't seem to have gotten her -" Evie trailed off when Mr. Deley approached her table.

"Eveline, can you please do the next question on the board?" He offered her a piece of chalk. Evie gave him a blank stare then looked at the board. Her features lit up when she discovered she knew the answer.

"Yes sir," She gave him a small nod then looked back at Carlos, grinning when she locked eyes with him. They spent a few weeks trying to figure out how to calculate atomic weight by hand and had done fairly well at it. It kept Carlos from stressing out about his mother and Evie was eager to learn what she could.

"The atomic weight of silver," She tilted her head then began to write the numbers on the board, taking a step back to look over her work before grinning again. "That should leave us with 107.9 AMU."

"Ah-moo?" Doug looked impressed aside from questioning how she pronounced the last part. Carlos gave her a thumbs up then went back to brooding at his desk. The most annoying thing was the sudden look of interest Chad had gotten after Evie sat down.

"Correct," Mr. Deley announced after a moment spent looking over her work. "Impressive, Evie. I fear I may have underestimated -"

"A villain," Evie rolled her eyes. "Yen Sid is the science teacher on the Isle so I wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating Carlos, myself, or Jay and Mal again."

Chad got up to sharpen his pencil and slipped a note on Evie's part of the table, looking expectantly at her when turned back from the sharpener.

_Talk to me after class._

Evie's original thought was to say 'ew' out loud and rip up the paper in front of him but the idea of seeing what he wanted and finding out what she could gain in return seemed more tempting. She gave him a small smile and nodded.

The ending of the class was marked by Mr. Deley assigning a few problems for homework. Carlos seemed anxious to go and was by Evie's side as soon as the bell rang.

"Go on ahead," Evie shook her head when Carlos seemed to be hanging back. "Chad wants to talk to me so I figure I might as well see what he wants."

"Y-Y-You d-don't n-n-" Carlos was saved from further getting embarrassed by talking since Evie gently grabbed his shoulder and shook her head.

"I'm not talking to him about what he did earlier," She whispered. "You know that's not how Jay and Mal handle bullies anyway. We can come up with something over lunch. Uh- you know what, round the corner and I'll meet you. I don't want him thinking you're waiting for me if you stay too close."

Carlos nodded and left the classroom. He kept his head down when he turned to the entrance of the next hallway and sat down on the ground, fidgeting with his dog tail while he waited for Evie.

"You wanted to talk?" Evie pulled a fake smile and batted her eyelashes at Chad once he came up to her.

"What you did was pretty cool," Chad shrugged. "How you answered the question."

"Oh was it?" Evie made a face, opting for playing dumb. "I'm not that smart - really. Better at household chores and cooking more than anything else."

"Hm," Chad mused and took a step closer to her. Evie stood up a little straighter and gave another smile.

"Hey, do you know anything about Fairy Godmother's wand?" She raised an eyebrow at him, still speaking in an almost whisper.

"I wish I could say but I've got so much homework," Chad shook his head. He gave a small smirk when Evie looked annoyed by what he said. "Let's make a deal, you get my homework done, and then we can talk when you give it back in the morning."

Evie snapped her jaw shut and gave him an innocent look. "That's such a good idea. We can talk at breakfast tomorrow."

"Good," Chad murmured then handed her the assignment Mr. Deley gave at the end of class. "It'll help me clear my mind."

He left after saying that. Evie couldn't tell if she played a believable role in the whole thing but he seemed satisfied.

"You know he's just using you," A voice said from behind her. Evie jumped then scoffed upon discovering Doug.

"What in Hades, were you listening the whole time?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I heard the wand get mentioned and can admit I find it rather fascinating as well," Doug shrugged. "Fairy Godmother will use it during Ben's coronation. Maybe we can sit together and discuss its properties since you seem interested in science?"

"Uh sure- Wait, she uses it during coronation?" Evie's eyebrows furrowed together.

"Yes," Doug nodded. "So if you're interested - Would you want to call it a date?" He looked unsure of himself upon saying that and was relieved to see Evie smiling at him.

"Sure, I guess it's a date," She shrugged. "When is it though?"

"Not for another week," Doug shook his head. "If you wanted to hang out sooner I- Family weekend is next weekend then the coronation is the Friday after that."

"Yeah," Evie paused to look him over. "We could do dinner or something sometime?"

"Yeah," Doug nodded. "Uh it was nice talking to you but I have to run. Band practice."

"Of course," Evie nodded then went to go find Carlos. He stood up when he spotted her. "Alright, that was interesting."

"How so?" Carlos gave her a confused look. It had only taken a few minutes so he couldn't imagine the conversation was all that eventful.

"I'm doing Chad's homework tonight but won't be doing it correctly," She shrugged. "And I think I have a dinner date with Doug sometime this week?"

"Damn," Carlos laughed and raised an eyebrow at her. "All of that in five minutes?"

"Yes," Evie shrugged. "The guys here are way too eager but I like the attention from Doug. He seemed really proud of me."

"You should be proud," Carlos murmured. "You got the question done faster than I was able to so I am impressed."

"Me too," She grinned at him. "I was expecting to mess it up halfway through the problem and have to restart or something. It would have been embarrassing."

The two fell silent after that and their next class had no issues. They met up with Mal and Jay at lunchtime and the group decided they weren't going to eat. Their anxiety about Goodness Class had them at a point of looking over their assignments and barely speaking to one another. They gathered in Jay and Carlos' room and got a headstart on other homework to distract themselves.

"Are we ready?" Mal asked when the bell announced the end of their study period.

"Sure," Jay shrugged. Carlos shook his head and was a little paler than usual. Evie shrugged as well and sighed, "Ready as I can be."

"Here goes nothing," Mal grimaced and led the way to the classroom. They settled two rows behind the one they usually sat in, not wanting to seem too eager about presenting.

Fairy Godmother was already in the classroom when they arrived. She offered a warm smile to each of them.

"Good afternoon class," She spoke in a soft tone. "Today will be a little different since it's a presentation day. I'll need you to move closer to the board."

Carlos and Jay groaned, looking at where their bags were then looking at where Fairy Godmother pointed. She wanted them in the second row. None of them ever sat that close to a teacher.

"May I ask why?" Jay decided to be the one to speak up. He sounded more curious than offended by the request.

"So you will be able to hear each other," Fairy Godmother nodded. "Auradon requires students to stand at the front of the class when they present. I will allow you to stay in your seats for this first one if that seems like it is too much."

The four gave a nod in agreement to what she said. There was no way they would stand in front of each other and read off an assignment that likely wasn't done correctly.

"Who would like to go first?" Fairy Godmother asked once everyone moved their seats. The teens were silent, looking from one to the other. They shook their heads. "I don't feel comfortable picking at random after yesterday's discussion. One of you will need to volunteer."

"I'll do it," Mal spoke up. Jay, Evie, and Carlos stared at her. Jay had been about to volunteer himself and was betting Mal would have gone last.

"Are you sure?" Jay asked, unable to disguise the look of concern that took over his features.

"Yeah, I'm sure," The purple-haired teen nodded and stood up from her desk, taking a few steps forward so she was standing in front of the other three. Fairy Godmother had a notebook and pen in hand and moved to sit at the desk behind where Carlos and Jay sat.

"Whenever you're ready, dear," Fairy Godmother offered an encouraging smile. "I'll be back here for the presentations since I don't need your back to me."


	7. My past has tasted bitter for years now.

_It was exhilarating. Running through the main square with the people they pickpocketed right on their heels. Jay had posed the question by asking her if she was up for a bit of fun and Mal quickly nodded in agreement._

_Their parents were in a meeting back at Jafar's shop. The two ducked out the moment they were certain Maleficent and Jafar weren't paying attention to them and wouldn't be looking for them any time soon._

" _Come on," Jay called and took off running. Mal could almost keep up with him, only a few paces behind him. They rounded a corner and Jay gave a loud laugh. The group that was after them had fallen from four people down to two. It was particularly thrilling because it meant that they either split up or couldn't keep up._

" _What did you end up taking?" Mal asked once she caught up with him, a hint of a smile over her features now that she had proven she could keep a similar pace as him._

" _Uh, nothing actually," Jay winked at her, a smug expression taking over as he showed her his empty pockets._

" _What?" Mal's eyes flashed dangerously. She took a step closer to him. "Jay I swear if you-"_

" _Relax," Jay interrupted. "I planted the wallet I took back on them before I took off running," He shrugged and ducked behind one of the closed shopping stalls. "Figured it would be more entertaining to have them chase after us just to watch them realize they had it the whole time."_

_Mal blinked several times and slowly opened then closed her mouth, not quite understanding where he was coming from._

" _Think about it. We made them run halfway across the Isle for nothing," Jay chuckled. "They almost had a good score and we may be able to pick up a few pieces of it if we double back now."_

_Jay held a finger up to his lips when the sound of someone running grew closer. He and Mal leaned into each other and ducked down, holding their breath until the sound passed. Jay poked his head out from the side of the stall and gave a low laugh._

" _They're still chasing. What suckers," He chuckled then got to his feet. "Come on. I know a shortcut back."_

_If it weren't for knowing they needed to get back to the shop before their parents noticed their absence, Mal would have chastised him right then and there. He was right though since they made it back to the fruit stand the gentlemen had been at to find that the fruit was still there._

_Jay and Mal inched closer to the stand, silently communicating their plan. Jay winked then Mal approached the shop owner, questioning what the ripest of the fruit was as Jay stole several brown bananas and bruised apples from him._

" _No, those won't be good enough for Maleficent," Mal shook her head. "I suppose you will have to set some aside next shipment to avoid facing her wrath. She will be ever so disappointed."_

_To her delight, the owner shuddered and stammered out an apology, offering her a few cans of vegetables in the hope of her not mentioning his failure to her mother. She merely scowled at him then walked away, smirking when she neared Jay._

" _How'd you do?" Mal asked. "I have two large cans of corn and three little ones of green beans. Not so bad if I do say so myself."_

" _Four bananas, three apples, and -" He paused to examine a brown looking thing he grabbed. "I think this one's supposed to be an orange?"_

" _Brilliant," She laughed. They returned to Jafar's shop and silently ducked through the door, tiptoeing their way back to where their parents were still chatting. The adults didn't look amused to have their children back._

" _Ah there you are," Jafar narrowed his eyes at his son. Jay gulped and took a step closer to him. "I was beginning to think the two of you ran off and weren't planning on coming back."_

" _Would have been a plus," Maleficent added with a roll of her eyes. Jay and Mal looked down at their feet until her gaze was off them._

" _Nah, we got a good steal from the fruit stand," Jay murmured and set the fruit down on the counter beside him. "Mal scared him into giving a few cans over."_

_The adults were quiet for a moment, both eyeing the pile of goods their children returned with. Jay held his breath and Mal studied her nails, both knowing it wasn't worth risking speaking out of turn._

" _Impressive," Jay looked up shocked, not recognizing the look on his father's features. "I believe you two proved the point I was trying to make." Maleficent gave an annoyed huff from beside him._

" _And what point was that?" Mal asked. She narrowed her eyes at him, sticking close to Jay in case the adults' tempers suddenly took a turn for the worst. Neither parent was overly nasty but Maleficent had a habit of throwing things and Jay earned the occasional bruise on his cheek from talking back._

" _That it would be in our best interests to have you and Jay form an alliance," Maleficent spoke through gritted teeth. "He was trying to make an arrangement for you to teach Jay to be eviler and for Jay to teach you how to pickpocket."_

" _I can already do that," Mal murmured, her cheeks going red from admitting that since the last time it had come about her mother witnessed her chickening out and not wanting to follow through on it._

" _We are still working on being quick about it," Jay added, sensing the change in Maleficent's posture._

" _Well then," Maleficent narrowed her eyes at him. Jay met her gaze with a tiny scowl. "I suppose I can allow you to keep him as an ally. You've proven to be able to do more damage together than on your own."_

_Mal nodded at that. She pressed a hand against the small of Jay's back when he didn't reply. He jumped and gave a rushed nod._

" _Do not disappoint me," Maleficent glared at Jay first then set her gaze on her daughter._

"Whenever you're ready dear," Fairy Godmother's voice caused Mal to snap out of her thoughts. She hadn't heard the last thing she said. Her gaze fell on Evie and she earned an encouraging nod from her. Mal's grip around her notebook tightened and she cleared her throat.

"I don't know what love is," She shrugged, holding the notebook up so her mouth couldn't be seen. "I don't think I've ever really experienced it either since - Well, the Isle tends to focus on the eviler side of life. My mom never really encouraged me to have positive feelings for other people. She and Jafar referred to me and Jay as an alliance and expected us to use each other instead of befriending each other."

Mal paused to take a steadying breath. She was staring at Evie the whole time she spoke. Her gaze shifted to Jay when he gave her a thumbs up.

"I don't think I was ever supposed to make friends. Mom always said it was us against the world since Auradon dealt us a bad set of cards. I have friends now though. They've shown I'm respected and have someone to turn to when things are rough. Being able to laugh and not worry about getting into trouble for it. I guess-" She paused and wrinkled her nose.

"What I mean is, I don't know what love is but there is room to grow and learn more about it. It still seems like something out of a fairytale so I don't believe it's true but being able to recognize little signs of happiness is a start."

Mal sat down after that, looking down at her lap as Evie gently wrapped an arm around her. Fairy Godmother didn't say anything at first. She appeared to be writing.

"Well put, Mal," She offered her a small smile. What Mal said was a little worrying but it was also expected given the circumstances the teens came from.

"I'll go next," Evie murmured. She gently nudged Carlos with her elbow. "Unless you would rather."

"N-N-No," Carlos shook his head and put his head down on his desk. "You go." Evie nodded and stood up from the desk and took a shaky breath, managing to smile once she was in front of the class.

Her paper had been perfectly written but she wasn't feeling up to reading it word for word. The beginning certainly seemed to make the most sense though - since Mal had already started off stating they didn't have love on the Isle. If anything, Evie was most anxious about just how much detail they could go into since they didn't want Fairy Godmother worrying about their wellbeing, but at the same time she knew she couldn't get away with acting like she knew what to write.

Another breath was needed then Evie looked up, eyes locking on Fairy Godmother when she first went to talk.

"Love is not allowed on the Isle of the Lost," She shrugged. "It is actively discouraged and tough to recognize in a land where villains and their henchmen roam free. You defined love as affection from personal ties. I was never allowed to be affectionate. My mother taught me to focus on my looks and the proper skills that a princess would need in order to marry a prince. Castle schooling meant a strict set of guidelines and expectations that came with consequences. She wasn't overly cruel but I wasn't really allowed to venture out on my own until I started classes at Dragon Hall. Any sort of signs of affection were usually discouraged by her and the teachers. The only exception my mom let pass was when I took Dizzy and Carlos under my wing."

Carlos looked up when his name was mentioned, earning a weak smile from Evie before she continued her speech.

"They're like little siblings to me. Ones I didn't ask for but am incredibly grateful to have found. Mom actually seemed to like whenever they were around. With Carlos, it was my seeing him as more than just the short kid that everyone picked on. I learned he was clever and he allowed me to learn from him. Dizzy was a different case since her mother wanted nothing to do with her and her grandmother took her in. She was given a rough chance at life but her smile always lit up the room." She paused and set her gaze on Fairy Godmother, taking a deep breath before she continued.

"I assume the ache in my chest at her not being here is something similar to love but I can't admit that I feel any sort of love for anyone - not even myself. It's simply something the Isle doesn't want you feeling," There was another pause while she looked for the proper way to end her statement. "I think it stems from love being a sign of hope and our upbringing having forced us to accept that there was no hope of escaping the Isle."

Evie gave Mal a worried smile when she finished, gaze drifting back over to Fairy Godmother for a brief moment.

"Did you want what we originally wrote?" Evie asked and pressed her lips together to suppress the frown that was threatening to form.

There was a moment of hesitation as Fairy Godmother thought the option over. Having heard them state things on the Isle weren't as they seemed was one thing, but having documentation might give her or Ben a chance at ensuring things changed for the kids that were left behind.

"Yes please," She nodded. "If I could have yours and Mal's." Evie's face paled and she took a shaky breath, taking Mal's chicken scratched sheet of paper then setting it on Fairy Godmother's desk. "Thank you dear." The blue-haired teen simply nodded instead of answering and took her seat next to Mal, snaking her hand into hers beneath the table and squeezing her fingers.

Jay and Carlos were silent, each quietly looking at the other while they questioned who wanted to go next. It turned into Jay rolling his eyes and standing up, glowering at Carlos once he reached the front of the room.

"Like the girls," Jay looked at Fairy Godmother. "My father didn't exactly show any signs of affection. He sort of focused on making sure I could fend for myself and steal from unsuspecting people so uh…" He gave a nervous chuckle. "I'll let you imagine how that upbringing went and mention that the family mantra is 'there's no team in I.'" His gaze flicked from the piece of paper in his hand to Carlos then back again.

"Anyway, um, I sort of made a list of things so…" He held the paper up and began listing off. "I don't know what love is but have come to believe these are close to it: Loyalty between the pirates. They do anything for each other and aren't afraid of asking for help if it's a matter of life or death for one of their crew members. We don't use please and thank you on the Isle, but I got a hug the last time I found ingredients to help Gil when he was sick. My father gets this look in his eyes when I bring back a good find for his shop. I don't think it's actually directed at me but he seems happy and that's all I can ask for. Then there's my wanting to do what I can to make Mal, Evie, and Carlos smile for a few seconds. Things were always serious back home so antics to get a laugh or two out of them were a must." He lowered his paper after that, specifically looking at Carlos even though Carlos wasn't looking at him.

"There's also the way Carlos' eyes light up when he laughs and the way he bites his lip when he's feeling anxious," He had his attention now and paused to take a steadying breath since he had started rambling. "I don't know. I get this warm feeling in my chest whenever he smiles and I- I think that may be what love is but I know my father would kill me if I admitted having those sort of feelings for someone that wasn't one of the girls that were constantly trying to flirt with me on the Isle."

He looked down at the ground when he finished and walked on the opposite side from where Carlos sat to give his paper to Fairy Godmother, scratching at the back of his neck when she offered him a small smile.

Carlos tossed Evie a confused look then got up from his seat, fingers tapping against his thigh in an attempt to control the anxiety he was feeling. He was never any good at public speaking as it was. Toss in his still processing what Jay said, and he was simply asking to turn into a stuttering mess.

"I-" He hesitated then took a deep breath, teeth digging into his lower lip before he tried again. "I d-don't…" Another breath, this one accompanied by his pinching the bridge of his nose and trying one last time. "I don't know how I'm supposed to follow that." The words came out in a rush then he shook his head, needing one more breath since he was still bordering on his words getting ahead of his thoughts. He couldn't let the hour spent practicing in the mirror go to waste.

"I don't know what love is," He finally announced. "But I can assure you it isn't a mother picking her furs and her car over her own son. Or her having a habit of-" His shoulders shook slightly and he needed to take a reassuring breath, gaze not leaving Evie since he couldn't trust himself with looking at Jay. "A habit of b-b-boxing his ears whenever he tr-trips over words and threatening that he'll be sent home b-because of it. It isn't being forced to stay up all night because she decided the house wasn't clean enough or her threatening to sk-skin his p-pet cat. Being called weak, runt, ingrate, bastard, mutt - and anything else besides the name she decided to give. No." His nostrils flared then he risked looking at Fairy Godmother, feeling angry tears threaten to pool from his eyes.

He shook his head and clenched his hands into fists, taking a deep breath before he looked back down at his now wrinkled paper. His voice shook when he spoke again. "I don't know what love is. But I sure as hell know the little bit of affection I can feel and give didn't come from the woman that was supposed to raise me."

Mal and Evie's jaws hung open when he finished. They hadn't known what to expect from his work but it certainly hadn't been that. Carlos shuddered once he stopped talking then dropped the assignment to the ground. He took off running out of the classroom, not stopping until he found an empty bathroom so he could lock himself in a stall and properly cry.

Jay got up from his desk, looking surprised when Fairy Godmother stood up as well. "One of us needs to go after him or he's going to spiral."

"I understand that Jay," She spoke softly. "But I need to know. Is what he said true?" Her expression faltered when Jay nodded in response. "All of it?"

"All of it, ma'am," Jay nodded, unable to look her in the eyes when he continued. "It's not my place to say anything else about it but he barely touched the surface."

"For Merlin's sake," Fairy Godmother exhaled then went to the front of the classroom, picking up Carlos's assignment from the ground. "I'm going to dismiss you all but I may need to reach out and have you answer a few questions."

"No," Mal quickly shook her head. "He wasn't supposed to say anything about that. Honest - We're fine. I put them up to it. The whole thing was a joke." She cast a concerned look at Evie then glared at Jay, eyes flashing green. Jay glared right back at her. He didn't say anything but his expression revealed just how pissed off he was at her claiming Carlos lied.

"Mal, he wouldn't have said it if he didn't want her knowing," Evie whispered then shook her head. "I don't know why he did it but…"

"Shut up," Mal whispered, her head snapping up when Fairy Godmother spoke.

"And the rest of you," The headmistress looked up at the teens, unable to disguise her concern. "Did anything similar happen to you back home?"

"We don't need to tell you anything else," Mal shook her head. "Isn't that right, Jay?" There was a beat of silence where he didn't answer. "Jay?" A groan escaped when she discovered he had left the classroom. His and Carlos's bags were still there.

"Mal," Fairy Godmother exhaled, trying to keep a calm composure. "I'm not going to ask anything else but I am going to need to bring this to the school board's attention. There's a specific protocol that we follow for these types of situations."

"I said they were joking," Mal deadpanned, eyes going green when she glared at Fairy Godmother. Evie shook her head and gently nudged her, hoping that would be enough to get her to back down. She could practically feel magic oozing off from her.

"She's right," Evie announced, forcing her eyes to meet Fairy Godmother's. It hurt to admit that much but Carlos had let his guard down too soon. They couldn't risk anything that might draw too much attention to them or worse get them kicked out for coming with more damage than Fairy Godmother could handle. "We put him and Jay up to it. Things are fine back on the Isle."

"Class dismissed," Fairy Godmother sighed. Mal and Evie exchanged uneasy looks then grabbed their bags and the boys' stuff.

"I'm going to kill him," Mal hissed out once they left the classroom, hands clenched into fists while she tried to keep her temper under control. "Not even a week in and he fucking…"

"Mal," Evie spoke through gritted teeth. "You know he wouldn't have said anything if he didn't trust that she would do something."

"That's the issue," Mal growled. "He shouldn't have said anything at all. We're perfectly fine without her or Ben stepping in. We always have been."

"Fine doesn't mean him hearing Cruella in his head and all the flinching he does every time someone whistles," Evie shook her head. She kept her tone soft and even in an attempt to get Mal to calm down.

"Yeah, well we would have figured it out," She spat out. "How the fuck are we supposed to get the wand if Fairy Godmother is putting her nose in our business?"

"Easy," Evie shrugged. Mal's attention was fully on her upon hearing the simply put statement.

"Excuse me," Mal arched a brow, breathing heavily while she waited for Evie to continue talking.

"I was going to wait until we had everyone together to share the news but Fairy Godmother uses the wand to bless Ben during his coronation," She murmured. "It's in a few weeks."

"How long were you holding onto that information for?" Mal scowled, the look deepening when Evie shook her head.

"Doesn't matter," Evie shrugged. "We have a more important thing to handle than your ripping into me for not immediately telling you. Are you gonna cool down or are we going after them?" Her expression grew sheepish as she silently hoped Mal wasn't in a mood to go charging into fixing things. The four had yet to have a falling out. She felt guilty enough as it was from lying - and that was a feeling she usually never had.

"Wait," Mal rolled her eyes. She opened up Carlos's backpack and gave a low cackle. "No. One of them will have to come to us. He is bound to want his laptop back at some point. We'll wait them out." It was only the third day of the week. The two wouldn't be able to avoid them for long. "They can come get it from our dorm. I'm not going to them."

Jay didn't know where to look since a quick run to their dorm revealed no Carlos. He backtracked past the classroom that Mal and Evie were still in and took off down the hallway, seeking out any small nearby locations. Carlos had a habit of picking small and secure places to hide but he had yet to have a reason to disappear on any of them up until now.

He tried a few alcoves, checked to make sure Carlos hadn't stuffed himself inside his locker, then decided the bathroom was the next best place to check. The first two were empty, Jay having checked under the stalls and given a disgruntled sigh upon not finding anything. The next one involved his nearly walking into Doug.

Doug looked up in alarm, a few paces away from the bathroom entrance while he caught his balance. Jay reached a hand out to steady his classmate and raised an eyebrow at the relieved look he earned.

"Thank goodness," Doug exhaled and tilted his head back toward the bathroom. "I'm assuming it must be Carlos, judging by the red and black shoes, that screamed at me to get out."

"Sounds about right," Jay's eyebrows furrowed together. "Did he say or do anything else?"

"No, not unless you count getting yelled at until he was certain he had the place to himself again," Doug shook his head. "He did sound upset though. I was planning to find you or Mal."

"Yeah, good thing you ran into me and not her," Jay chuckled then pulled his hair back in a ponytail. "I should be able to handle him from here. Er, thank you for the update."

"No problem," Doug answered. He walked away and couldn't shake the puzzled expression he wore from the interactions with two of the villain kids. It was certainly perplexing, especially with the way Carlos had sounded more like he was crying than seeming frustrated or mad about something.

The door to the bathroom closed with a thump that left Jay grimacing once he was inside. His plan of keeping a low profile was ruined by his accidentally announcing his presence.

"Go away," Carlos hiccoughed. Jay raised an eyebrow and glanced beneath the stalls. The younger teen must have been perched on one of the toilets since he couldn't see his legs.

"I said go away," There was no mistaking the hint of anger the second time Carlos spoke. Jay made a face then sunk down to the ground, back leaning against the wall near the stalls. He wrinkled his nose and gave an audible sigh.

"You should know I'm not that easy to get rid of by now," Jay forced a chuckle and tapped his knuckles against one of the bathroom stall doors. The door didn't budge so he was left assuming Carlos had chosen it as a hiding space.

Things were silent besides the occasional sniffle from Carlos. He was glaring daggers at Jay's legs and hoping the silent treatment would get him to give up. Luck wasn't on his side though since there was a shuffling sound then a noise against the door as Jay shifted to lean against it.

He kept quiet, waiting for Carlos to do something. When nothing happened, he gave an overly dramatic sigh.

"Alright, I'm going back to our dorm," Jay murmured. "You should maybe come too instead of scaring classmates out of using the bathroom? I'll check the classroom for our stuff but this really isn't the best place to hide, 'Los."

Jay got to his feet and walked to where the exit was then opened and shut the door, putting a little force into it so it made noise when it closed. He held his breath as he silently counted backward from thirty while he waited. The teen got as far as fifteen when the stall Carlos was in unlocked, the younger teen's gaze on the ground when he exited.

"Oh come on," He groaned upon spotting Jay's shoes and immediately crossed his arms over his chest. Carlos couldn't stay mad at anyone for long but Jay was one of the last people he wanted to see - third to Evie then Mal.

"Did you really think I was going to let you off that easily?" Jay raised an eyebrow at him, earning a mumbled 'no' from Carlos. The two exited the bathroom and passed by the classroom Goodness Class was held in, both wincing upon not seeing their bags.

"Dalmations," Carlos muttered under his breath. "My laptop was in my bag." He had a feeling Mal and Evie must have taken it but he wasn't feeling up to facing either of them any time soon.

Jay pressed his lips together to keep from getting sarcastic, carefully thinking his next choice in words over before he spoke again. "Yeah, we have better things to worry about than that."

"Huh?" Carlos winced. He already knew Mal wanted his head. That much was made apparent in the look she gave him before he ran out of the classroom.

"I'll explain once we're in the dorm," Jay sighed. "You're not going to handle it very well."

"Coming from the guy who -" Carlos grimaced and shook his head. "I still don't know what to think of what you said."

"Don't read into it," Jay shrugged. Playing nonchalant usually came easily but there was a slight hint of pain in his expression when his eyes met Carlos'. "I shouldn't have said anything about you." The two were quiet after that, gazes on the ground until they reached their dorm. Carlos's hands shook when he went to unlock the door, dropping the key to the ground once he pulled it out.

"I got it," Jay murmured and grabbed the key, offering it back to Carlos without looking at him. The door shut behind them and Jay made sure to lock it, knowing he wouldn't be able to control his tongue if Mal or Evie burst through it.

Carlos dug his teeth into his lower lip. His shoulders shook while he tried to keep control of the little bit of composure he had left. Crying was a weakness, his mother had made that quite clear growing up, and he didn't want to do it in front of Jay. His mistake was looking up at Jay and catching his worried expression.

"'Los," Jay exhaled and took a step closer to his trembling friend. There was a moment of hesitation then he pulled the smaller teen in for a hug, his expression faltering when Carlos pressed his head against his chest. Carlos took a fistful of Jay's shirt and clung to it, the sobs escaping uncontrollably.

"What did she say?" Each word was gasped out between sobs, Jay's head tilting in an attempt to make sure he caught what was said. Carlos took a breath then looked up, eyes widening at how close Jay's face was to his.

"What did Mal say?" Carlos tried again, expression faltering to reveal exactly how anxious he felt about eventually needing to face her.

"You don't want to know," Jay closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Carlos', inhaling sharply when Carlos pushed away from him.

"What d-d-do you-" He cut off and took a deep breath, head shaking before he spoke again. "What d-do you m-m-mean I…" Jay brought a hand up to cut his stammering off, shaking his head a few times.

"She said you lied," He whispered. "Claimed she put the two of us up to lying about how your bitch of a mother treats you."

"What?" The word came out in a yelp, Carlos looking disgusted by what he heard. Angry tears escaped when Jay nodded to confirm what he said.

"I didn't catch anything else," Jay muttered. "Realized it was more important to find you instead of giving Mal the chance to get to you first."

Carlos didn't say anything at first, shaking his head a few times. He took a step closer to Jay then wrapped his arms around him, grip tightening when a soft sob shook his form.

"I'm not going to class tomorrow," Carlos whimpered. Jay gently cupped Carlos's chin and made him look up, expression faltering when their eyes met.

"You can't do that," Jay whispered, shaking his head when Carlos went to interrupt him. "It'll be too suspicious. We'll have to come up with a better plan."

"I h-hate…" Carlos narrowed his eyes. "When you're right." His nostrils flared and he pressed his tongue against his cheek, unsure if he was more terrified or pissed off at Mal having told the headmistress he lied about his homework.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are appreciated but not necessary. I just like knowing how things are going and am open to politely phrased suggestions of stuff to incorporate since I still don't exactly know where I am going with this fic.


	8. Bold and Young

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. I know. Sorry, it's been a while. I had a rather traumatic past couple of weeks so that made writing a bit of a struggle since it's a coping mechanism used to deal with my own trauma. Anyway, I'm back-ish. Unfortunately back to working full-time M-F so things may be a little bit spaced out. No worries though because I will explicitly state if the work is not being continued or being put on hold. Enjoy.

The alarm clock read 1:00 AM and Carlos sat upright in bed, pillow in hand when he went over to where Jay was sound asleep. He tilted his head to the side then bit back a chuckle, promptly hitting him in the face with the pillow. Jay jumped awake, sitting upright with a shocked expression.

“Oh g-good,” Carlos smirked. “You’re up.” Jay glowered at him then ran his hand through his hair, shifting so his legs were over the side of the bed.

“I’m regretting having left you in charge of waking me up,” He muttered then approached his closet. He slipped a black hoodie on over his head, rummaging around in one of the drawers until he located the tools he used for picking locks. “You realize I’m fucked if one of them is up?”

“Better you than me,” Carlos shuddered. “We need the bags if we - if we want to appear as though things are n-normal tomorrow.”

Jay grumbled under his breath and left the conversation at that, leaving the door unlocked before he slipped into the hallway and approached Mal and Evie’s room. He crept toward the doorway and knelt down, fidgeting with his hoodie so he could silently press his ear against the door. There wasn’t anything to hear besides Mal’s snore (a smirk creasing over his lips since the clean air of Auradon hadn’t changed that). If Evie was up he would likely be able to guilt her into keeping her mouth shut.

He inserted the first tool into the lock, holding his breath while he shifted the makeshift wrench (a Carlos creation) until he felt the lever lift then inserted the second one, a soft exhale of breath escaping when he was able to easily twist it to move the deadbolt. On more jiggle of the bottom wrench was needed to unlock the door. Jay dug his teeth into his lower lip and cautiously tugged the pieces out then pocketed them, grateful his breaking in hadn’t drawn any attention.

He took a breath then cautiously grasped the door handle, holding the breath until he pulled the door open. It took one swift movement to slip inside and leave the door slightly ajar. His eyes narrowed while he looked around the room. He couldn’t risk a light so relying on the little bit of moonlight shining through the windows was the only thing he could do.

Jay inched toward Evie’s side of the room, her desk was clear and her bag hung over the back of her chair. He pressed his tongue against his cheek to keep from scoffing at how neat everything was, then crept closer to Mal’s side of the room. Three bags were near her desk. Carlos’ was the easiest to spot since he stuck a keychain on it. Finding his own was down to luck since he, Mal, and Evie’s backpacks all looked the same.

One of the girls groaned in her sleep and Jay flinched, breath hitching when he grabbed Carlos’s bag and another at random. The weight of the second bag felt even enough to be his own so he stuck the two over his shoulder and tiptoed toward the doorway, freezing when another groan was heard.

Jay pressed himself against the wall and held his breath, a sigh of relief escaping when Mal’s snores were heard again. He snuck back into the hallway and closed the door behind him. A soft click let him know it was shut then he took off running down the hallway, arriving out of breath at his and Carlos’ dorm.

“That was fast,” Carlos announced when Jay slammed the door shut and locked it behind him. He paused to catch his breath and smirked.

“The locks are fairly easy to get into. Similar setup to a few of the antique chests that popped up in my father’s shop,” Jay shrugged then tossed Carlos’ bag at him. “You’re welcome.”

He took a moment to look over the other backpack he had taken and cursed under his breath, holding up Mal’s sketchbook with a grimace. Damn the school for having given them identical bags.

“Whelp, I’m screwed,” He announced. Carlos looked alarmed upon spotting it. “Do you think she’ll notice?”

“F-Fuck,” Carlos exhaled. Jay gave him a look of concern in regards to his choice in a curse word. “I’m the one that’s got class with her f-first thing.”

“Language,” The older teen hissed out, earning a chuckle from Carlos. “I can’t decide if I’m impressed or disgusted at knowing that’s entered your vocabulary.”

“If you and Mal didn’t say it so much,” Carlos shrugged then set his bag down. “Th-Thank you by the way.”

“Eh, don’t mention it,” Jay shrugged then shut the light off. “Now get some sleep. The alarm is still set for seven.”

The morning arrived with the oh so annoying tone of the alarm clock going off, earning a loud groan from Mal when Evie didn’t immediately turn it off. Another groan escaped then Mal sat up and glared across the room. She threw one of her pillows toward Evie’s side of the room and chuckled when it hit her in the face.

“Good morning sunshine,” Mal rolled her eyes. Evie mumbled something incoherent then stretched her arm out to shut the alarm off.

“That pillow is mine now,” She covered her mouth to hide her yawn, taking a moment to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Evie slowly sat up and stifled another yawn with the back of her hand. Adjusting to being up during daylight hours was proving to be rather tough since days on the Isle tended to start later than what Auradon considered normal.

She got out of bed and went to her closet, brushing her hair and eyeing herself in the mirror that was inside it. There was a moment of silence then she turned to face Mal’s side of the room.

“Hey, M?” She asked. Her nose wrinkled at the thought of needing to point out what she was about to say.

“What, E?” Mal grumbled. She was still lying in bed, taking in the last couple of minutes she could before they needed to get food. Mal still intended to get meals, as usual, having found it rather comical that Jay and Carlos skipped dinner the night before.

“How many backpacks were by your desk last night?” The question came out in a forced calm that left Evie putting her brush down and bracing herself for the explosion that was about to come.

“Three, why?” There was a beat of silence then Mal sat bolt upright, eyes narrowing to glare at Evie. “They wouldn’t have dared.” She groaned in annoyance and ran both hands through her hair, waiting for Evie to confirm that the bags were still there.

“Uhhh,” Evie winced. “It appears they did. We’re down two.” A glance at the doorway earned a roll of her eyes. “And whichever one of them did it didn’t bother with locking the door. Jay, I presume. Carlos is usually good about setting the lock back when he’s done.”

“Assholes,” Mal hissed out. Her nostrils flared and she shook her head. A scowl graced her lips. “The real question is did they even grab the right bags?”

“Huh?” Evie quirked a brow, expression relaxing when she remembered they were each given an identical bag.

“Carlos is the only one that put something different on his bag,” Mal shrugged. “I’ve been meaning to paint mine.” She gave a groan after that and got out of bed, walking over to check which bag was left. Her nose wrinkled when she opened it. “Oh, this is almost too good.”

“I don’t get it,” Evie whispered, making a face in the mirror while she applied her makeup. She was already dressed for class and ready to remind Mal that they needed to hurry up if they wanted to eat.

“We’ve got Jay’s bag,” Mal shrugged. “I want to see him play off switching them back. Do you think they’ll think I’m still mad?”

“Considering that you gave him your death glare yesterday,” Evie scoffed. “I would assume that’s something to expect.” She got quiet after that and ran her hand through her hair, regretting not having braided it the night before. “Plus him being overprotective of Carlos. I was expecting you to wake up ready to fight the two of them.”

“I’m feeling slightly forgiving today,” Mal shook her head. “You said he had a reason for saying it and I— I was mad at his going into detail about everything. I don’t want Fairy Godmother thinking she has a right to know anything about how we were raised. Especially if it means all of us need to talk about it.” The last part came out in a whisper since it was a vulnerable thought.

“Remember what we told Carlos when we first got here, M?” Evie walked across the room then took hold of Mal’s hand, gently squeezing her fingers when she looked up at her.

“No,” Mal shook her head. She dug her teeth into her lower lip when their eyes met. Looking into Evie’s eyes usually left her feeling calm but Mal broke down the moment she took in the other girl’s calm demeanor.

“Mal,” Evie hissed out when she realized she was crying. There was a beat of silence then she took a step forward and hugged her, silently rubbing her back. Mal rarely cried.

“Don’t you get it?” Mal hiccoughed, shoulders shaking from trying to keep her sobs under control. “I’m supposed to be proving myself and he- he risked ruining everything.”

Evie kept quiet. She didn’t know what the right thing to say would be. They hadn’t been there a week and Auradon was already proving to be the place she would willingly call home.

“I understand,” Evie whispered and kept it at that. There would be a better time to question if they were even going to follow through on the plan since they were still testing the waters. They needed to make it through Family Weekend before Evie fully decided if she wanted to go back home or not.

“I hate this,” Mal grimaced. “If she starts asking questions —”

“We told Carlos he doesn’t need to talk if he doesn’t want to,” Evie interrupted. She shifted and pulled Mal close to her. “The same rule applies to me, you, and Jay.” There was a beat of silence then Evie gasped.

“What?” Mal scowled. The look was short-lived since she was still hiccoughing. Evie shrugged and pressed her forehead against Mal’s. Her eyes were wide and she had a small smile that left Mal looking confused.

“I just had a brilliant idea.” Evie laughed. She brushed her nose against Mal’s then took a small step back so she could properly look Mal over. “Think about it…” Mal opened her mouth to say something and Evie held a finger up, quickly shaking her head.

“If Auradon starts probing about Carlos and us,” Evie paused. She hoped Mal would catch on without her needing to elaborate. Her expression faltered when Mal continued to look perplexed. “Ben almost panicked when we told him we don’t get enough clothes and shoes on the Isle.”

“Holy shit, E,” Mal’s features lit up. She took a moment to wipe the tears off her cheeks then stepped closer to Evie. “You’re fucking brilliant.”

“I mean, I do have the occasional good idea,” Evie shrugged, blushing slightly since she wasn’t used to being praised. “We should grab breakfast though.”

“I’m not even hungry,” Mal sighed. “But we don’t need Ben worrying about us if we aren’t there.”

Much to Evie and Mal’s surprise, Jay and Carlos were in the cafeteria. The two were halfway through their meal and didn’t notice the girls’ arrival. Mal smirked at their backs then went to grab food. She stuck to fruit since she wasn’t feeling overly hungry and grabbed a few pieces of toast. Evie did the same.

“How are we doing this?” Evie asked once they had everything. Mal shrugged her shoulders and walked right toward where the boys were, promptly setting Jay’s bag down behind her. Carlos jumped and Jay narrowed his eyes. Neither of them said anything.

“So were you planning on keeping my sketchbook or..?” Mal raised a brow at Jay. He gave Carlos an apprehensive look then shrugged his shoulders. The purple-haired teen took a seat across from Carlos, eyes fixed on Jay.

“Oh pardon me,” He rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t aware it was missing. I truly have no idea where it could be. You must be lying about it.” There was no mistaking the venom behind the word lying. It earned a wince from Evie and her looking down at her lap once she settled across from Jay. Mal was unfazed.

“Hand it over, Jay,” Mal glared at him. She managed to keep a calm tone despite the unsavory expression. “Then we need to talk.” The word was accompanied by her gesturing to Carlos and Evie.

“I don’t think Carlos wants to talk to you,” Jay crossed his arms over his chest. Mal’s gaze shifted to the youngest of their group. Carlos squirmed in his seat and dug his teeth into his lower lip. Conflict was something he always tried to avoid — even when the person causing it had managed to harm him.

“N-n-n-no,” Carlos looked toward Jay, earning a groan from the older teen. He was speaking in an almost whisper and looked at Mal before he continued. “I’ll… I’ll listen but you aren’t— You aren’t mad at me?”

Reading Mal had always been a struggle but he could easily recall several times when she was pissed off at someone. This did not seem like one of those times since her eyes were their usual color and her hands weren’t clenched into fists. She was also lacking the demeaning tone she reserved for getting her point across — or at least, she toned it down since Jay had been the first one to snap. His mother, on the other hand, was someone he could never get a clear read of. One moment she would seem happy and the next he was being scolded and told to do some demeaning task.

Mal took a steadying breath and silently counted backward from ten, eyes flicking to Jay then back to Carlos. She was waiting to see precisely how defensive Jay was feeling.

“No,” Mal shrugged once certain Jay wasn’t going to start with her. “Well, a little bit.” Carlos looked down at his lap upon hearing that, trembling slightly. “But Evie brought up a good point this morning.”

The boys were silent. Carlos tapped his foot against the ground in an attempt to control his nerves. He couldn’t look at Mal. Jay raised an eyebrow at her, daring her to continue.

“We will tell the truth — not all of it but enough to paint a decent picture if Fairy Godmother decides to do some investigative work,” Mal shrugged. Carlos furrowed his eyebrows, trying to figure out what caused the change of heart.

“You’re joking,” Jay scoffed. He shifted closer to Carlos since he could feel the anxious energy coming off him. Jay pressed his leg against Carlos’s, glancing down at him when he felt him stop shaking his leg.

“Have I ever joked about one of my plans?” Her question earned Carlos rapidly shaking his head and Evie mumbling no. “It’s actually pretty brilliant.”

“Enlighten us then,” Jay’s nostrils flared when he spoke, eyes flicking back to Carlos for a few seconds.

“Guilt-tripping the king and queen,” Mal shrugged. “Assuming it gets that far. We may be able to change things for the better on the Isle.”

“N-no m-more lost boys and girls,” Carlos announced, promptly looking at Mal. The first bell of the day went off before Mal could say anything else. It earned a groan from the group. No one moved. Evie, Jay, and Carlos were looking at Mal.

“We will continue the discussion during lunch,” Mal grimaced. “I would use the next couple of classes to think about what we need to say during tomorrow’s Goodness Class.” The three nodded then grabbed their bags, the only moment of hesitation coming when Jay set the bag he had on the table.

“You probably want that,” He sighed. Mal took it then threw the bag she had at him.

“You’d be better off locking the door behind you next time,” She rolled her eyes. “That or sending Carlos.”

“Yeah yeah,” Jay shook his head. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to there being a next time.”

“There better not be one,” Mal muttered. “Off to class, it is.” They left the cafeteria after that. The anxiousness in regards to wanting nothing seeming amiss that morning left none of them noticing Ben wasn’t at breakfast.

Ben paced outside the door that led into the headmistress’ quarters, not wanting to knock since he was up at a rather early hour and didn’t want to make her think there was some sort of emergency.

His morning began with Doug stopping him in the hallway, promptly filling him in about something that had happened before the last class was done the day before. He caught something about Carlos and the teen yelling about wanting to be left alone before Doug apologized and said he had to run back to his dorm to grab something.

The last class on Wednesday made them think may have happened during Goodness Class and the easiest way to figure that out was by speaking to Fairy Godmother. He only hoped it wasn’t too big of a deal.

Another round of pacing the length of the hallway then Ben stopped in front of the door, mumbling an apology under his breath before he raised his fist in the air and knocked on the door.

“One moment,” Fairy Godmother called. Ben pulled his hand down and waited, standing up straight and dusting off his blazer. There weren’t many marks on it but he still had an appearance to uphold as the future king.

The door opened and he was face to face with a relieved looking Fairy Godmother. He could have sworn he heard her mutter ‘thank Merlin,’ before beckoning him into her office. She had a bedroom, kitchen, and a small sitting area that served as her living quarters. The door that led to them was well hidden with her and Jane as the only ones that knew how to get in.

“Forgive me for disturbing you so early on in the day,” Ben sighed, deciding it best to just get things over with instead of dancing around the topic. “I received some troubling news from Doug.”

“I have some troubling news to share as well,” Fairy Godmother grimaced. “Would you prefer a cup of tea before we get into this?”

“No,” Ben sighed and took a seat in front of Fairy Godmother’s desk. “Probably best to get things over with.” He was tempted to look down at his shoes but thought better of it. As the future king, he needed to prove he was ready for anything. Even if it meant not feeling comfortable in admitting something didn’t feel right about where the villain kids came from.

Fairy Godmother nodded in agreement then raised an eyebrow at Ben, uncertain if he was waiting for her to go first. Ben met her gaze and hesitated. His eyebrows furrowed together before he spoke.

“I can’t help but worry about our recent transfer students,” He sighed, relaxing slightly since he was able to maintain a diplomatic tone. “They have said some rather worrisome things but not given full details.”

The future king paused and ran his hand through his hair. “Doug went to use the bathroom the other day and got greeted by Carlos screaming at him to get out. He apparently sounded upset but we weren’t able to get more details on that aside from Jay seeming relieved at being the one to locate him. There must be something more going on but they don’t trust any of us to open up about it.”

Fairy Godmother’s expression was unreadable. She had mastered controlling her emotions but it was truly a relief that Ben appeared to be onto things. Otherwise, having to get him to go against his parents would be a challenge.

“That was likely after my class,” Fairy Godmother spoke softly. “I may have caused a rift by accident. The assignment was describing what the word love means to them and their answers all pointed toward not knowing how to describe it.”

“Not surprising,” Ben grimaced. “They mentioned not having enough food or clothes on the Isle. Lumiere is meeting with them this afternoon to get their shoe sizes. Carlos’s reaction from yesterday has me doubting that will happen though.”

Fairy Godmother took a steadying breath then shook her head. “I fear you are right. I don’t want to sway you a specific way but you may want to look these over. I am going to need to meet with the board to get an action plan set in place for the students that transferred. Carlos’s is particularly concerning.”

She offered the assignments from the class to Ben. They were organized from least concerning to most. A sharp intake of breath was heard when Ben got to Carlos’ page.

“His mother—” He looked up alarmed at Fairy Godmother, unable to get the words out to express how he was feeling. “It’s mostly verbal threats though. Surely that doesn’t mean she...” The rest of his defense was lost to remembering how timid Carlos was. None of the villain kids had used eye contact when they first arrived (still overly wary about it come to think of it) and Carlos shook and leaped into Jay’s arm when the statue of his father changed.

“Jay said he barely scratched the surface of it,” Fairy Godmother paused and wrinkled her nose. “Mal and Evie claimed the boys were lying,” The headmistress’ expression faltered slightly upon remembering that. They would need a thorough investigation into Carlos’s wellbeing and she was going to need to meet with a few board members before deciding if that was truly necessary.

“Barely scratched the surface,” Ben’s eyebrows furrowed together. “That can’t mean—” He couldn’t bring himself to finishing the thought. It was certainly fishy that the girls had called Carlos a liar. With the way each of them behaved on their first day he wouldn’t have been surprised if it was an attempt at hiding things. That still didn’t explain why they felt comfortable in admitting the Isle got Auradon’s trash.

“They took all the villains and put them on an island. It is beginning to look like they did not regularly check-in,” Fairy Godmother murmured. She was carefully choosing her words since she didn’t want Adam or Belle accusing her of turning their son against them.

“My parents wouldn’t have done that,” Ben’s face paled in color. He slowly opened and shut his mouth then opted for shaking his head instead. “At least, I hope they wouldn’t have. Surely there are rules over there or…” He trailed off and glanced back down at Carlos’ paper.

There was a beat of silence as Ben brought both hands up to cover his mouth then slowly run them through his hair. The future king was well trained in masking his emotions but the proof that the villains’ children couldn’t even define what love was made things all too real.

“What do you suggest I do to make sure they are comfortable here?” He settled on asking. A talk with his parents would eventually follow but he wanted to make sure he and the few students that had caught on to the villain kids’ behaviors didn’t end up triggering them before a proper plan for handling things was set in place.

“Be patient I suppose,” Fairy Godmother sighed. She had been wondering that herself, having accepted they likely wouldn’t show up to her next class. “I let them know I was going to have to talk to the board about Carlos and am under the impression they no longer I am someone that can be trusted.”

“Do you think they will end up regressing then?” Ben frowned. Auradon rarely had traumatic cases with their children. As rare as those occurrences were, his parents had still insisted on having a tutor train him in handling those sorts of situations. He had yet to have to put it to use outside of having spoken to a family after their house caught fire.

Abuse and neglect were completely new to him. The only reason he, Doug, Lonnie, and Audrey noticed anything off about the new students was because they attended a few meetings with Cinderella on how to catch minor signs.

“We had made some progress is all,” He continued with a shake of his head. “Minimal progress but progress nonetheless.”

“I don’t know, Ben,” Fairy Godmother admitted. “I think they're going to need to know they have someone on their side if it turns into discovering it was more than just getting yelled at and lacking necessities on the Isle.”

“Did you know?” The prince’s question left her looking him in the eye, a moment of silence passing while she carefully chose her words.

“I was told they were sending our leftovers to the Isle,” She murmured. “Unfortunately, I was excluded from the planning committee outside of testing that the barrier was strong enough to keep them out of Auradon. Anything after that is a well-kept secret.”

“And the children?” Ben quirked a brow. “Did they do anything for the children once they realized more of them were popping up?”

“I don’t know,” Fairy Godmother pressed her lips together to suppress a frown. The little bit of guilt she felt was already beginning to eat away at her.

“Are we really going through with this?” Mal’s voice interrupted the silence that settled over the others. They were gathered in the boys’ dorm. The group was still a bit on edge after the day before. 

Arguing always left them feeling emotionally drained since they were the only ones they could rely on at the end of the day. Nothing catastrophic happened between the four but their main anxieties always centered on one or both sides holding a grudge for longer than twenty-four hours.

“Mine are done if I run into a puddle,” Jay shrugged. “And Carlos’ has marks from where Bee tried attacking the shoelaces.” How the younger teen’s shoes were still able to be used was beyond him since the cat had done a number on them.

“Mine are okay,” Evie answered and ran her hand through her hair. She sat on the edge of Carlos’s bed. Having spent the majority of her childhood stuck in the castle with her mother made it so her clothes were in better shape than the rest of the group’s. They certainly weren’t as new looking as the pairs the other girls in the school wore but shoes were the last thing on her mind since arriving in Auradon.

“So we’re doing it,” Mal sighed. Her own shoes were in a similar condition to Jay’s, being that one puddle or patch of snow would likely ruin them. They hadn’t bothered her back on the Isle since she at least had shoes while other children were left wandering barefoot.

“Is it a good idea?” Carlos’ mumble earned confused looks from Evie and Jay. Mal wasn’t close enough to hear him.

“I would think so,” Jay gave a diplomatic shrug. “At least for appearances’ sake. Fairy Godmother probably thinks we aren’t going to follow through with it. Assuming his royal highness mentioned it to her.”

Ben wasn’t too bad but the prince’s need to check in on them and act as nice as he did was rather unsettling. Jay still wasn’t certain he could be trusted.

Carlos nodded instead of saying anything else, sitting upright on his bed so he could lean against Evie. He pressed his chin against her shoulder and closed his eyes. Evie shifted to wrap an arm around him, absentmindedly tracing her fingers in small circles along his back.

Mal was pacing the length of the dorm and Jay was tossing a piece of crumpled up paper up in the air and catching it, continuing to do so for several minutes. None of them wanted to acknowledge how nervous the idea of shoes made them.

Their comfortable silence was broken by a knock on the door. Mal cast a glance at the others then walked to the door, an eyebrow rising up when she spotted Ben and an unknown adult through the peephole.

A backward glance was sent to the others then she took a breath and opened the door, forcing a smile as she kept her gaze on her feet. If there was one rule the Isle of the Lost taught them, it was that adults could not be trusted. She couldn’t meet Ben’s gaze and stood up straight enough to show she wasn’t afraid of whatever was coming next.

“Can we help you?” Jay’s voice came from her right, his fingers ghosting over Mal’s once he stood beside her. There was a hint of anger in his tone that caused Ben to take a step back. Jay was glaring at a spot over the stranger’s shoulder.

“Were we still on for doing shoe fittings?” Ben asked in a low chuckle. There wasn’t anything funny about the situation but he was attempting to keep a lighthearted feeling, lest he wanted Lumiere to end up chastising all five of them.

“Yeah, I guess,” Mal shrugged and slowly brought her gaze up, eyes briefly flickering to the man behind Ben. “Who is he?”

“If I may,” The man shifted so he was no longer blocked by Ben. Evie and Carlos could be seen craning their necks in an attempt to get a good look at the stranger. He was very tall and skinny but there wasn’t anything about his appearance or stance that left them immediately feeling as though he couldn’t be trusted.

“Je m'appelle Lumiere,” He announced, French accent coming out a little thicker than usual since he wasn’t regularly in the habit of bouncing between languages. “Loyal servant to the royal family and the person in charge of ordering clothes and picking out materials for them.”

The little information Ben had given about the Villain children left him slowly taking in the two that were in the doorway. Adam was in the habit of ranting about having them come to Auradon being a bad idea but the two teens in front of him seemed far timider than someone would expect of spawns from Aurodon’s most feared villains.

There was a beat of silence while Mal cautiously eyed Lumiere. Jay was doing the same. His gaze was not nearly as calculated as Mal’s. Carlos and Evie left the bed and approached the other two.

“Why did you bring him?” Mal and Jay quickly turned at the sound of Evie’s voice. There was no venom behind the question, simply curiosity. “It’s just shoes, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Ben shrugged. “That requires taking measurements. I also figured you might be interested in getting a few non-uniform pieces to wear for some of the events we have coming up. Not that what you brought with you is bad or anything, but we do have several formal events coming up in the next month.”

There was a beat of silence between all of them. Jay and Mal took a step back so Evie could take the lead of the group, both biting back smirks since Ben had said something that would likely set her off.

“I suppose I appreciate the thought,” Evie narrowed her eyes at Lumiere, expression faltering once she realized she couldn’t find anything she didn’t dislike about the adult. “But I am the one that makes all of our clothes. I would simply need some fabric and a new sewing kit since my supplies are back on the Isle.”

“I can arrange that,” Lumiere offered a warm smile. “Perhaps the prince can set a weekend up for you to visit the same shop I order their pieces through. The owner may be willing to teach you how to use a sewing machine.”

A smile quickly burst over Evie’s features. She was itching to get back into designing. The only thing that kept her from giving an excited outburst was the raised eyebrow Mal threw in her direction.

“I would appreciate that, but that would mean the others come with me,” Evie suppressed the smile as she spoke. “We aren’t in the habit of traveling alone.”

“Fair enough,” Ben and Lumiere spoke at the same time. Lumiere took a step back from the prince, not wanting to do anything to make the teens uneasy.

“We can arrange that after we get shoe sizes and place an order,” He continued. “Do you mind if we come in. We’ll need a chair to get the sizing done.”

“Go ahead,” Mal muttered. The four stepped back, each claiming a spot on one of the boys’ beds. None of them said anything else. They opted for staring blankly at Ben and Lumiere since shoe sizing was a new concept to them.

Sensing the uneasiness of the new students left Ben treading carefully. There was no manual for explaining how sizing shoes went so he cast a small smile at Lumiere then cleared his throat.

“Right, so one of you is going to need to come forward,” Ben announced. “I assure you the process is perfectly harmless but you are going to need to take both shoes off so we can make sure we get an accurate reading. We’re also going to check to see if any of you require additional support in your shoes. Does that sound okay?”

“Sure,” Jay surprised the others by being the one to speak first. “Although I don’t understand why we would need sizing or additional support. The Isle sort of has a way of grabbing whatever isn’t too small for your foot and making a run for it since Auradon isn’t in the habit of sending pairs over all that often.”

Ben should have been ready to be told such a thing, after already having been working on putting together a shipment of clothes and bedding necessities for the Isle’s children, but hearing it out loud left an ache in his chest.

“Yeah, that’s not the typical way to do that,” Ben grimaced. “That’s usually how people end up with arch and ankle issues.”

“Hasn’t stopped any of us from running around in our current pairs,” Mal shrugged. “Now can we get this over with?”


	9. Looking from the Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teens get fitted for shoes and the adults begin to plan.

Ben and Lumiere were given a glimpse of what life on the Isle of the Lost was like the moment the villain kids sat down to get their measurements done. Jay was roped into going first. He tried to keep his cool but his nerves came out the moment he was asked to take his shoes off.

“I’ll get them back after, right?” The teen’s question earned a confused expression from Lumiere. Ben looked slightly taken aback.

“Yeah, of course,” He nodded. “We have to place an order for new shoes so why wouldn’t you?”

Regret briefly flashed over Ben’s expression. Carlos appeared to be stifling a laugh and Mal and Evie rolled their eyes. A low chuckle was heard from Jay then he shrugged his shoulders.

“There aren’t any chariots to whisk people around on the Isle and cars are hard to come by,” Jay gave another shrug. “Shoes are the only way we can guarantee safely getting around. Taking them away on the hot or cold days pretty much means you’re stuck home… Unless you’re willing to risk burnt soles or frozen toes.”

Carlos gave a nod in agreement and Mal clicked her tongue. Evie was the only one that seemed unaffected by Jay’s rather gentle way of admitting their parents used shoes as a way of gaining compliance.

“We don’t exactly take them off for that reason,” Mal added with a shake of her head. “Not worth the risk of never getting them back.”

“Right,” Ben’s face paled in color. “I assure you you will get them back the moment we finish sizing. You can hold them if you need the extra reassurance.” Jay gave a nod after that and cautiously took his shoes off. He and the others didn’t have socks and would have benefitted from getting a pedicure.

The process went smoothly once Jay was finished, Lumiere being the one to take measurements and jot down notes on each teen. The only concerning discovery besides none of them owning properly fitting sneakers was Carlos and Evie being flat-footed to a point of barely having any arch at all.

“Alright,” Ben gave a relaxed smile once they were done. He took the journal Lumiere was writing notes on and was ready to take over the task. “Onto the most important part. What colors do you want?”

“Black,” Evie gave the others a look daring them to disagree. “Since that goes with everything.”

“Ew,” Mal scoffed. “Can’t we add a splash of color to it? Like a little bit of purple for mine?”

Everyone was looking at Ben. The prince shrugged his shoulders then cast a glance at Lumiere, nodding when his advisor-of-sorts gave a nod of his own.

“A black pair for each of you, then please give me another color for the second pair,” He pressed his lips together to suppress a smirk since the gasps he earned made the extra bit of kindness worthwhile.

The other teens were each looking at each other. A silent conversation happened between them. Their raising eyebrows and the occasional twitch of one of their lips ended when Jay cleared his throat.

“No catch to this?” He quirked a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes narrowed at Lumiere since adults were always the ones to enforce decisions back home. The idea of the man actually working for Ben was downright laughable.

“No catch,” Ben tried to give a reassuring smile. It wasn’t exactly the most natural looking thing but it would hopefully be enough. Oddly, the reassurance didn’t do much for any of the teens. Their gazes were fixed on Lumiere, waiting to see if he said anything different.

“Your friend was right in suggesting black,” Lumiere sighed after growing tired of having the villains’ children stare him down. “Auradon is rather accustomed to having its citizens own several pairs of shoes.”

“Must be nice,” Jay rolled his eyes. A scowl briefly flashed over Mal’s lips. She eyed Lumiere a moment then shifted her gaze to Ben.

“Are we done here?” She scoffed, piercing gaze unwavering even though Ben didn’t flinch back.

“Once we get the colors, yeah,” Ben shrugged. “You said purple for you, right?”

“Right,” Mal mumbled then dramatically flung herself across Jay’s bed. Evie bit her lip to suppress the giggle that was trying to escape at her antics.

“Blue and gold for me please,” Evie gave a small smile once she recollected herself. She nudged Carlos since he was silent and sitting next to her. 

“Uh...” Carlos mumbled then ran his hand through his hair, feeling rather uncertain about the idea of owning more than one pair of shoes. Cruella made sure he had minimal supplies and was prone to taking the more necessary items away to ensure it meant his not straying too far from home or his being stuck there. “Just black is fine. I— I d-don’t need more than one.”

“He’ll take two black pairs. Mal can paint it later,” Jay muttered from beside Ben. He spoke low enough for the prince to hear. The others didn’t even catch the quirk of his lips that would have given away that he spoke.

“Right, that leaves you, Jay,” A hint of uncertainty could be heard in Ben’s tone. He was looking down at the journal he was taking notes in, an eyebrow rising up once he finished the suggestion of two black pairs for Carlos.

“Gold,” Jay shrugged. “But like, not a lot of it. And I mean material color — not wanting shoes made out of gold.”

“Noted,” Ben nodded then offered the journal to Lumiere. “That was everything we needed. Thank you for taking the time to allow us to sort through that. We should have shoes for you in a few days.”

The villain kids gave a nod and kept quiet until Ben and Lumiere were in the hallway, the door clicking shut behind them. Lumiere didn’t speak for a while, unusually quiet for the sometimes overly talkative man.

“You are certain those were the villains’ children?” He asked after a prolonged moment of silence. Ben’s footsteps faltered. He took a breath then cast a sideways glance at Lumiere.

“Yes,” He sighed, hoping this wouldn’t turn into a discussion about life on the Isle of the Lost. “Quite positive.”

“They were rather soft-spoken,” Lumiere shrugged. “I would have expected an outburst or… Anything other than them seeming anxious to have me in the room.”

“I fear things may not be precisely what the king and queen have been claiming,” Ben didn’t look at Lumiere while he spoke. The very idea of disagreeing with either of his parents was overly terrifying. Between his father’s temper and his mother’s way of showing her emotions, he didn’t want either of them believing he was upset with how they were ruling Auradon and the Isle.

“But I’m not entirely certain about what precisely. I appear to have thought right in saying the four were the ones that needed the most help though,” He added and looked up at Lumiere. “It would be appreciated if you didn’t mention the villains’ behaviors to mother and father.” 

The prince may not have given a direct threat or anything, but the change in Ben’s tone left Lumiere nodding and silently agreeing that nothing would be said past having been put to work on getting more Auradon-appropriate outfits for them.

“Peculiar beings those four are,” Lumiere muttered and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was expecting something a little more hostile.”

“They didn’t believe me when I gave them the welcome bags Doug and I worked on,” Ben pressed his tongue against his cheek after speaking and shook his head. “Being that I gave it to them without wanting anything in return. I don’t get it.”

“It seems like a few things are going to need to be worked out,” Lumiere sighed. He hadn’t been lying in saying the teens’ behaviors were concerning. The worst of it had been the question about getting the shoes back. He was working on filing the information away in case things came down to the King deciding Ben’s observations weren’t good enough to properly look into how life on the Isle was going.

“Thank you again for helping with that,” Ben muttered after a moment of silence. His being quiet wasn’t unusual but the situation at hand left him feeling uneasy about the whole thing. Things had to be bad if Lumiere referred to them as peculiar. It wasn’t one of his words of choice.

There was going to be a lot to think about and learn from the villain kids. Ben wasn’t certain he would be able to handle the task. He had Fairy Godmother on his side for now though. At least that meant someone would be willing to back him up for claiming they needed to rethink the Isle.

“Right, so Evie, tell the boys what you told me,” Mal narrowed her eyes at Evie. The blue-haired teen shrugged and glanced at Carlos and Jay.

“Just that the wand will be used for Ben’s coronation in a few weeks,” She murmured. Her words were followed by Jay whooping. Carlos’s face paled and he swallowed back the anxious feeling that was pooling in his stomach.

“W-We’re still…” He gulped when Mal looked at him then closed his eyes, needing a few deep breaths before he was able to continue. “Going for it?” His eyes opened after that and he looked down at his lap.

“Of course we are,” Mal scoffed. “Why wouldn’t we be?” Carlos’s gaze flicked toward Mal. He remained quiet a moment and shrugged his shoulders.

“I— The thing with… You know,” He shook his head and grimaced when Mal raised an eyebrow to make him finish the thought. “Fairy Godmother.”

“What about her?” Mal pressed further in an attempt to get to the root of whatever Carlos’s problem was.

“She’s looking into stuff is all,” Carlos winced, relaxing slightly when Jay leaned against him. “Me specifically.”

“Yes,” Mal’s expression didn’t change. She tilted her head to the side. “And that’s my problem because?”

“What if—” He was cut off by Mal growling out ‘no what-if’s,’ and shrunk into himself. “She might look into the others,” Carlos whispered, gaze focused on his feet since he probably shouldn’t have said anything.

“We’ll figure it out when we get there,” Mal shrugged. “Besides, you’re still integral to the plan at this point.”

Carlos didn’t say anything at that, silently accepting that he would likely be the only one with the opinion that staying in Auradon was better than going back to the Isle. It would need to come up at some point but Evie had said they still had several weeks before the wand would be someplace that made it easy to steal.

“Right,” Carlos sighed and leaned against Jay, allowing the conversation to end at that. “Do we- How does the coronation even work anyway?”

“I’m still trying to figure that part out,” Mal rolled his eyes. “We may need to try rubbing elbows with the prince to get an idea. See if he’ll let us sit in the front row or something. I only hope we don’t need to take a more drastic measure than trying to fake a friendship.”

“Okay,” Carlos pressed his tongue against his cheek and sighed. There wasn’t much else to say on the matter unless he wanted to risk being ripped into for not wanting to follow Mal’s expectations. The conversation ended at that and the four spent the rest of the day questioning how to behave once face to face with Fairy Godmother.

It was made clear that nothing had been said to the other teachers since everyone acted as though new information about the villain children hadn’t come out. That was a relief for the four teens but it didn’t keep them from walking on eggshells when it came to going to Goodness Class.

They opted for the unusual once in the classroom and took the front row of seats, each of them silent with a pen and notebook ready on their desk. Things were quiet for the most part. There was only the rhythmic tapping of Carlos’s foot beneath his desk until Fairy Godmother entered from behind them.

“Good afternoon, class,” She announced, managing not to frown when three out of four of the students flinched at the sound of her voice.

“Good afternoon, Fairy Godmother,” Jay answered with a small smile. He was the only one of the group that didn’t seem alarmed at the teacher’s presence.

Things were silent again, all four students’ gazes fixed on the teacher while she got ready for their lesson. The quiet was rather unnerving for Fairy Godmother. The four had always been on the quiet side, to begin with. Certainly not timid seeming, but she was under the impression they were waiting for her to bring up what happened during their last class together.

“Jay, I was able to get in touch with the coach. He will happily allow you to try out for the team but you’ll need a physical before you can play. The same rule applies if Carlos wants to try.”

“What’s a physical?” Jay wrinkled his nose at the use of the word. “Like needing to prove I’m athletic? That should be a piece of cake.”

“Not exactly,” Fairy Godmother shook her head. “You would need to meet with a doctor. They would double-check you are healthy enough to play. I was expecting the Isle to send over paperwork but haven’t received anything.”

“They don’t do those on the Isle,” Carlos murmured. The only person that had ‘doctor’ as a title was Dr. Facilier and everyone knew not to go to him unless they wanted it to come with a price. He was too busy working for the school as it was.

Fairy Godmother gave a nod at that, shockingly unsurprised since she sort of suspected something was off when half of the transfers didn’t come in with a birth year or date attached to them.

“Mal and Evie, we will need to have one done for each of you as well. Usually, we require students to get them before transferring to the school but you four are a special case,” She sighed and silently noted the girls’ looks of unease.

“What does that entail?” Mal spoke the question everyone wanted to ask. The others held their breath and looked expectantly at Fairy Godmother.

“Making sure you are up to date on injections, checking your height and weight, making sure there aren’t any vision or hearing concerns, and checking for any underlying problems to name a few,” Fairy Godmother shrugged.

The four from the Isle were silent. They occasionally tossed a glance in Mal’s direction but her not saying anything kept them quiet.

Most of the kids on the Isle survived into their teens and past that so they hadn’t thought much about healthcare. There were a few nurses that could set bones back to mend and aid in childbirth but that was the extent of things. Anything else was discovered through experimentation or the rare occurrence of supplies coming over from Auradon.

None of them commented when injections were mentioned since they had never heard of them and didn’t want to find out what they were.

“Why do we need them though?” Mal asked after a prolonged moment of silence, silently hoping that the negative to not getting one wouldn’t be too drastic.

“If you want to stay past the winter holidays you will need them done,” Fairy Godmother answered. Carlos was the only student to give a visible reaction, looking incredibly nervous at the idea of being kicked out before the school year was complete.

“Jay would need one before the end of the month to secure a spot on the team. Same thing with Carlos if he decides to try out. I can give you and Evie until the end of October so we are able to make sure everything is in order.”

More silence ensued. Carlos and Jay locked eyes, the look ending with Jay shrugging then putting his attention on Mal. Of the four, he and Mal were likely the healthiest. Carlos was too little and Evie had a habit of skipping meals. The two narrowed their eyes at each other then Mal quirked an eyebrow and shrugged.

“I’ll do it,” He announced. Carlos dug his teeth into his lower lip then gave Jay a sideways glance. The idea of joining Tourney was truly tempting but he didn’t want to rush right into Auradon trying to figure out where things on the Isle went wrong.

“I think I’ll try out to see if I make it,” Carlos murmured. “Then get the physical if I’m good enough.” He nervously ran his hand through his hair. There had to be some sort of spell Mal could use that could hide his scars. Otherwise, the person left in charge of checking on him would quickly find out he wasn’t okay.

“You’re seriously going to do it?” Mal asked once they were out of the classroom. Jay shrugged his shoulders in response.

“I need an outlet,” Jay gave another shrug. “A sport sounds like a good way to do it. Sort of like how we used to play capture the rag as kids. It’ll keep me out of trouble.”

“And you Carlos?” Mal looked down at the younger teen. Carlos’s steps faltered. He shook his head a few times.

“Not unless there’s a way to hide the scar from the most recent burn and the mark from where she tried taking my— my ‘spots’ off,” He rolled his eyes. Evie made a face and Mal’s eyes widened slightly. She chose not to fully acknowledge what he said.

“I suppose I could look into that,” She wrinkled her nose. “It would only hide it though, not properly get rid of it.”

“I didn’t say I want them gone,” Carlos mumbled. “They might come in handy if things…” He didn’t finish the rest of the sentence since Mal narrowed her eyes at him. Things seemed okay since Fairy Godmother didn’t mention the assignment or give graded papers back. It was best to keep acting as though nothing was off.

Fairy Godmother nervously tapped her fingers against the desk once the four transfer students left the classroom. She hadn’t said anything since it was the end of their first week back and she didn’t want to do something to accidentally trigger one of them. Pleasant conversation and bringing up the sports team had felt like the best approach. At least, it had until they mentioned that physicals weren’t done on the Isle.

She couldn’t help but wonder what else was going on the Isle, jotting notes down on the parchment she intended to present at that night’s committee meeting.

Committee meetings weren’t usually something that occurred on Friday evenings but it just so happened that everyone was able to meet when Fairy Godmother suggested. She made sure to have snacks on hand as a thank you for the quick accommodations.

The committee consisted of her, Cinderella, Aladdin, Grumpy, Gepetto, and Alice. The six wouldn’t have otherwise gotten along but they each brought a unique view to the table.

Grumpy had a more realistic view of things. His pessimistic attitude tended to get in the way but he had a way of pointing out more realistic views that may have been glanced over. Gepetto was on the older side and brought knowledge of education and an ability to recognize where more work needed to be put in. Alice, Aladdin, and Cinderella had a child of their own in the school. Aladdin brought the sports side of things, Alice cared about arts, and Cinderella strived to ensure proper counseling was available for students.

They were the first step to getting any sort of changes at the school or beyond brought to light. Once they set a plan in place they would bring it to the King and Queen to make sure their concerns were heard. The seriousness of life on the Isle was what pushed Fairy Godmother to insist on meeting sooner rather than later.

She was not surprised upon arriving in the meeting hall. Everyone was in on time for once so they wouldn’t be left waiting several minutes before things commenced.

“Good afternoon everyone,” Fairy Godmother sighed. She carefully looked over each adult in the room. Aladdin was tossing a small beanbag back and forth between his hands, needing something to play with to pay attention. Alice and Cinderella offered her a small smile while Grumpy glared at the wall behind her head. Gepetto appeared to be messing around with a piece of wood.

“My apologies for the short notice on today’s meeting but it is rather important the update be given now before things get more concerning,” She continued. Her words earned confused looks from Cinderella and Aladdin.

“You never mentioned what this was about,” Grumpy glowered. He wrinkled his nose then looked down at the blank parchment in front of him. “I am supposed to be checking in on the mines.”

“Yes, right,” Fairy Godmother nodded and took her seat across from him. “An update on our transfer students.” Grumpy scoffed at her word choice and stifled the sound at the last moment, earning a raised eyebrow from her. He gave one in return and mouthed go on.

“They’re showing signs that their home life may not have been the best,” She was treading lightly, not wanting to seem as though she was being overdramatic.

“May I ask how?” Cinderella chimed in. She had taken on the role of encouraging proper mental health and making sure there were rules in place to protect the people of Auradon, mainly focusing on making sure no one else went through anything similar to her childhood.

“I gave an assignment on describing what love means to them and their answers didn’t exactly match up to what that usually earns,” Fairy Godmother grimaced. “Cruella’s child, in particular, said some concerning things. I’ve made copies of what they turned in.”

There was a moment of silence as she passed the four papers out to everyone. Alice gave a gasp when she read over Carlos’.

“Threatening to skin a cat,” She frowned. “That’s awful.”

“Is it really much of a threat where she didn’t do it to dozens of puppies?” Grumpy’s nose twitched when he finished speaking.

“The intent is still there,” Alice shook her head. “Did he say anything else about her?”

“No,” Fairy Godmother sighed. “That’s the rather worrisome part of it. He doesn’t like being referred to by his last name and is incredibly quiet when compared to the rest.”

“Aziz mentioned he’s particularly jumpy,” Aladdin added. “Doesn’t seem to warm up to people easily.” He was grateful the headmistress had opted for a meeting since his son kept giving updates on how school was going. Aziz was particularly interested in Jay and Carlos but the two wanted nothing to do with him.

“The Prince gave more concerning news. The students aren’t good at keeping eye contact and arrived in ragged clothes and shoes. He is working on getting them new shoes but I fear that won’t be enough to further meet their needs,” She murmured.

“Chad doesn’t appear to like them,” Cinderella frowned. “I’m hoping that isn’t his father’s prejudice coming out since I raised him to know to respect others and their differences.” She glanced over the note from Carlos and looked back up at Fairy Godmother. “Are we able to further investigate this one?”

“I’m not certain,” The headmistress shrugged. “He opened up a little just to push adults away again. Perhaps bringing in a counselor? I simply fear that may result in rejecting whoever we bring in since they’ve made it clear they believe they can only trust each other.”

“And family weekend?” Gepetto usually had few words when it came to meetings so his speaking up quickly earned everyone’s attention. “That’s next week, is it not?”

“Yes,” Fairy Godmother nodded. “I was wanting to ask about that. Since their parents are…” She trailed off and shrugged. “Unable to travel here and a touchy subject. What is the best way to go about it?”

“A video call perhaps,” Aladdin shrugged. “Just to give a glimpse of the parents and see how things go.”

“With what Carlos wrote, I would prefer we—” Her thought was cut off by Grumpy promptly shaking his head.

“It could be a cry for attention,” He interrupted. “Best to take small steps until a bigger picture comes to light.”

“It could also be a cry for help,” Alice admitted with a shake of her head. “If we ignore it we are just as bad as the villains.”

“We will sort of have an idea on things by the end of the month,” Fairy Godmother tapped her fingers against the table, still treading carefully with her words. “The boys expressed an interest in joining Tourney and they can try out but a place on the team won’t be earned until they get their physicals done. I could give permission to do a full scan on things if we think that may be necessary. It would allow for an in-depth look at recent injuries and give a better idea of an angle to use before approaching the King and Queen about the Isle.”

“I knew it,” Grumpy groaned. “The last thing we need is alleging that things aren’t right between here and there.”

“It may be necessary for making a change for the better,” Gepetto shook his head. “Even if it is just verbal threats, it can do damage.”

“More damage than we know,” Cinderella added with a shake of her head. “For now it’s best to keep an eye on things. I can get a counselor to step in if necessary but there are layers. We’ll need proper documentation if it comes down to bringing a case up with the Queen and King.”

They all knew Adam’s rage would come out if confronted. That was why they kept the conversation on the idea of bringing the alleged mistreatment up to the royals brief.

“Are we in agreement on monitoring the situation and being ready to take further precautions if necessary?” Fairy Godmother asked. She earned nods from Gepetto, Alice, Cinderella, and Aladdin.

“Have their winter accommodations been decided?” Grumpy crossed his arms over his chest. That had been a heavy topic well before the villain students arrived.

“Not quite,” The headmistress admitted. “I let them know I will need their physicals completed if they intend to stay for the spring semester. Carlos is the one I am most worried about, with Jay seeming like the healthiest of the bunch.”

“Jasmine and I can take two of them in,” Aladdin announced. “Unfortunately no more than that since Aara plans on staying in Agrabah.” His daughter planned on reclaiming her childhood bedroom even though she was off to college. He and Jasmine had opted for an average-sized home otherwise he would have accepted all four.

“I may be able to take all four,” Cinderella added. “We certainly have space and the staff to try to make them comfortable.”

“Finding space for them isn’t what I’m worried about,” Fairy Godmother admitted. If it came down to it, she would insist on taking them in herself. “It’s more about whether or not they all get the physicals done. They said they didn't get physicals done on the Isle. I worry they may get sick before we get around to coming up with a full plan in getting them on track with things in Auradon.”

“I can nudge Aziz into talking up sports if you would like,” Aladdin cracked a smile. “Goodness knows he does enough of that as it is.”

“I will get back to you on that,” Fairy Godmother flashed him a brief smile. Her look of worry was quick to return. “Monitoring and hoping physicals are done sooner rather than later. I believe that is everything right now. I need the parchment initialed to show that we met. Any last questions?”

“How are they doing so far?” Gepetto asked. Grumpy groaned and put his head on the table since they were close to being dismissed.

“Jay appears to be well adjusted. Most talkative of the bunch. Carlos is quiet and jumpy,” She paused and wrinkled her nose. “Far too jumpy. Mal has a knack for art and is brighter than she gives herself credit for. And Evie is another bright pupil. Not too talkative and quick to stand up for the others. They’ve been quieter than anything else and have a habit of needing to stay together. Don’t make eye contact and flinch if taken by surprise. The only issue we have run into so far is their not liking having separate dorms and Carlos having scared a few students out of the bathroom after getting emotional.”

“Interesting,” Cinderella nodded. She had a feeling the transition from Isle to Auradon would be tough but the flinching and lack of eye contact were certainly worth noting.

“How is Ben handling things?” There was a beat of silence since the question came from Grumpy instead of Aladdin or Gepetto.

“As well as he can,” Fairy Godmother gave a diplomatic shrug. “Cinderella, you would be proud. He mentioned something that matched up with the last lecture you gave.”

“At least one of them pays attention to me,” The blonde laughed. Having raised her son alongside Belle’s left her feeling particularly proud of the Prince. She had watched him grow up and he was proving to be resourceful.

“He has Lonnie, Doug, and Aziz in on keeping track of the villain kids,” Fairy Godmother shrugged. “I think he was looking to rope Chad into it as well but he mentioned not wanting to force him.”

“Of course,” Cinderella nodded. It wasn’t surprising knowing her son didn’t follow along with his once best friend’s request.

“I think this is a good stopping point,” Fairy Godmother announced and looked at Grumpy. He was a reliable note taker and appeared to still be writing.

“Notes are all set,” He shrugged and passed the parchment to Gepetto to get his signature. “I’ll be hoping we aren’t faced with an emergency meeting before the end of the month.”


	10. I don’t Dance (Part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The villain kids find out Ben keeps his word. Jay and Carlos try out for Tourney even though one of them finds the idea of needing a doctor’s okay to play terrifying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh title chapter doesn’t actually have anything to do with the chapter outside of the author going oh yeah I don’t Dance from High School Musical 2 was about claiming someone can’t play sports. Sorry/not sorry. It was too catchy of a song not to use.

The weekend was usually a relaxing time for Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Evie. On the Isle, they would run wild and occasionally butt heads with Uma and her crew. Auradon was completely different, with them having woken up early and exhaustedly made their way to the cafeteria. Being up early was an adjustment but the five days spent being up at dawn appeared to have turned it into a habit.

They claimed a table and stifled yawns, the agreement being that two of them would stay there while the other two grabbed breakfast then they would switch. No one seemed to have an interest in the table they regularly frequented but Mal wanted it made clear that it was theirs.

Evie and Carlos hung back, the two quiet until Carlos furrowed his eyebrows together and suddenly looked up at her.

“What do they do on weekends?” He asked then raised a hand to cover a yawn. Looking around showed that there were few students up as early as they were. He spotted Aziz and another student a few tables away and accidentally made eye contact with the older teen.

Aziz flashed a smile and Carlos made a face, not appreciating that he took it as an invitation to approach him and Evie.

“Morning,” Aziz grinned. The other teen he was with followed after him. “Kris and I couldn’t help but notice you’re up early.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Kris offered a small smile then ran his hand through his blond curls. “I’m a transfer student as well - from Arendelle though. Not quite the same change as you’ve got but still enough to throw my usual schedule off.”

“Forgive me for asking,” Evie raised a brow. “But what exactly is Arendelle?” Aziz chuckled and quickly forced a neutral expression since the sound earned a confused look from Carlos and Evie.

“A different kingdom,” Kris shrugged. “Elsa and Anna are in charge of it. It’s kind of like Agrabah, Neverland, Corona, and Camelot. The royal families that ruled over the kingdoms before Auradon was established still maintain some control but everyone needs to go through the King and Queen if problems arise.”

“If you could have stayed there, why are you here?” Carlos blurted out, ears going bright red upon realizing that may not have been the best question.

“A change of scenery and a warmer climate,” The blond gave another shrug. “My sister opted for staying at the school back home. I wanted a better idea of the kingdoms that were around us and jumped at the chance to see Auradon.”

“Interesting,” Carlos nodded, avoiding making eye contact with Kris and Aziz. “Uh, what exactly do you do on the weekends out here?”

“They’ve got a van that takes students into town to explore and get goods they otherwise wouldn’t be able to access during the school week. This weekend is Tourney tryouts if you and Jay are interested in that.” Aziz paused to look at Evie and wrinkled his nose. “Unfortunately, they don’t allow girls on the team. Lonnie’s been trying to get a girls’ team running or a change to the current team setup but there hasn’t been enough interest to re-examine the rulebook.”

“That’s something the Isle has on Auradon,” Jay chuckled. Evie and Carlos nodded in agreement. They shifted over so he and Mal could join them.

“Not that I was interested anyway,” Evie rolled her eyes. “But the Isle doesn’t care about gender — If you’ve got a skill that can be put to use the crews will take whoever they can get.”

“Hmm,” Aziz mused. “That may be something worth mentioning to Ben at some point.”

“Now if you’ll excuse us,” Evie murmured. “Carlos and I need to grab breakfast. It was nice chatting with you.”

“Of course,” Kris nodded and took a step back. Evie and Carlos got up and approached the fruit platter. Mal and Jay exchanged a look with each other then stared at Aziz.

“What time did you say tryouts were at?” Jay asked. “Or if you didn’t mention it - What time would be a good time to go to the field?”

“Interested in trying out are you?” Aziz chuckled. Another laugh escaped when Jay rapidly shook his head.

“No, but I’ll check it out,” Jay’s scowl earned another laugh, Kris joining in with a low laugh.

“Twelve.” Kris shrugged. “Eleven thirty if you want to see the old team scrimmage for a little while. That’ll give a better understanding of how the game is played. Same time tomorrow if the coach thinks you’ve got a chance at playing.”

“And you’ll want to make sure you show up in shorts and are ready to run. Coach is notorious for running drills and making sure everyone can handle sprints.” Aziz added. “He keeps us in shape but it can get grueling if you aren’t expecting it.”

“Noted,” Jay narrowed his eyes at Aziz. He didn’t want to acknowledge that the brief conversations with him about Tourney had left him interested in trying out. “Maybe see you later.”

“Right,” Aziz nodded. “See you then.” He and Kris turned to head back to their table, earning an eye roll from Jay when he heard the blond announce that they would “definitely” see him at tryouts.

“Trying out are you,” Mal laughed and nudged Jay when he shook his head. “Can I remind you that you said it would do you some good?”

“No, but noted.” Jay glowered at her. The sport would certainly do him some good but his father raised him to not believe in being a team player. It would be a bit of a clash if he did go out for the team since he was trained to focus only on his and his father’s needs — no one else’s.

“I have to see if Carlos will check it out with me,” He added after a moment of silence spent stabbing at the scrambled eggs he was supposed to be eating. “Might be easier to acknowledge I can be a team player if someone I’m familiar with does it with me.”

“Yeah,” Carlos deliberately drew the word out then laughed when Jay glared at him. “I’m not that good. The only thing I’ve got going for me is quick reflexes and being small. Pretty sure my mother is to thank for that.”

He and Evie rejoined their friends at the table. The two had opted for fruit and half a bagel each, figuring that was light enough to not ruin their stomachs for the rest of the day.

Food was proving to be a challenge for the four since they were not used to eating regularly. The week at school was spent experimenting on how much they could get away with eating without drawing attention to the fact that they were barely touching their food during all three meals.

“Are you really trying out though?” Carlos asked once settled beside Jay. “I- I wouldn’t mind watching.” Sports weren’t exactly his thing since Hell Hall had a habit of picking on him then deliberately choosing him last for anything that involved splitting up into groups. It was what left him accepting that he didn’t necessarily need to participate in phys ed.

“I think so,” Jay shrugged. “Might not hurt if you did too.”

“Like I said I—” Jay was quick to shake his head and interrupt Carlos before he got to the point of berating himself.

“You said you have quick reflexes and I’ve seen you run and turn that into a somersault,” He elbowed Carlos in the side before he continued. “Pretty sure that may come in handy on the field.”

“Hey,” Carlos winced and shook his head. “But fine, maybe I will. Once I’m able to make sure it isn’t going to turn into a game of ‘get the runt’ or my ass getting kicked.”

“I don’t think Auradon allows ass-kicking,” Jay gave a nervous chuckle. “At least from what we’ve seen so far.” His statement earned a nod of agreement from Evie and Mal. Two of the three were uncomfortable with saying anything else on the subject since they hadn’t done anything to stop people from picking on Carlos back at school. It changed once he was part of the group but it still didn’t make up for the years spent picking on him.

Evie took charge of the awkward silence and gave a loud sigh after she finished eating the strawberries in front of her. “Okay did you try these?”

Her question earned looks of confusion then the three spotted what she was pointing her fork toward.

“Ew no,” Mal scoffed. “It looks like it’s got little bugs on it.” Carlos gave a disgusted look and Jay reached forward to steal one of them from Evie, popping it in his mouth.

“Nah it’s good,” Jay said once he finished it. “A bit weird because of the seeds. They aren’t bugs and it’s sweet in a way.”

“I’ll pass,” Carlos wrinkled his nose. Mal shook her head. Sticking to the fruits the Isle got was the safest way of handling things. There were too many unknowns for her to want to try anything new.

“Hey Mal,” Evie decided to change the subject. “Aziz mentioned a bus that goes to the surrounding area. Maybe we can use today to find the fabric store Ben mentioned. I can get started on designing new clothes.”

“How do you plan on paying for that?” Mal arched a brow at her. “You know we’ll be sent back if we resort to old methods.”

“I didn’t think that part through,” Evie sighed. “We can window shop though. Have an idea for once we’re able to afford things ourselves? It’s not like we can write home and ask for cash.”

“You could try asking Ben,” Carlos shrunk into himself when the girls glared at him. “What? It’s a — I was just— N-never mind.”

“We don’t want him to think we rely on him,” Mal scoffed. “There’s got to be another way to come up with something.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Evie grimaced, quickly replacing the look with a more neutral expression. “Maybe your magic will come in handy for something.”

“There’s an idea,” Mal grinned. “We just need to find an option that doesn’t earn a one-way ticket back to the Isle.”

“Are you two done now?” Jay groaned and put his empty plate on top of Carlos’. “I want to head back to the dorm and see if they gave me anything that is appropriate for running in.”

“The sneakers Ben was working on getting would be a plus,” Mal rolled her eyes. “How much do you want to bet he forgot about us?”

The Prince hadn’t forgotten about the shoes or how he said he was getting a shipment of supplies sent to the Isle of the Lost. His morning was spent double checking the goods that were being sent over. He went out of his way, much to his father’s annoyance, to make sure useless goods weren’t shipped.

The moving van was nearly full with shoes, socks, and several warmer outfits now that the weather was cooling off. He opted against sending fresh food over since the villain kids made it sound as though there wasn’t a fair way of distributing those on the Isle. It would take a meeting with them to come up with a way of making sure everyone got their fair share. Instead, it was an extra amount of canned goods and his making sure several gallons of clean water were included.

He wasn’t going over to drop things off and had made certain that a message was sent to make it clear there would be severe repercussions if anyone tried to attack the guards that were being sent over to distribute things. The threat had come down to his claiming an extra shipment of necessities wouldn’t happen again if it wasn’t welcomed.

It hadn’t been his idea, but the words of his father that left it being said and broadcasted to the villains and their children. They didn’t need to be grateful for the extra gifts but the King would have zero tolerance if it came down to his men or the vehicle being damaged. It took a lot of whining from Ben to keep his father from going as far as threatening to send the teens that came over back to the Isle.

Once certain things had gone as smoothly as he could have hoped for, watching the transaction happen via video broadcast from the moving van and the vehicles that accompanied it, Ben took his leave to bring the four their sneakers.

A quick knock on Mal’s door revealed, yet again, that the girls were not in the dorm. He shouldn’t have found it all that surprising but he still couldn’t get a good read off her and Evie. That was what left him always going to their room first before heading to Jay and Carlos.

His nerves left his arms shaking by the time he approached the other dorm. He tightened his grip around the bag of shoes he carried and used his other hand to knock on the door, biting into his lower lip while he waited. The little bit of talking he heard ceased and an anxious-looking Carlos opened the door.

“You again,” He whispered then stepped aside to let him enter. Of the greetings Ben was used to receiving from them, Carlos’s was the least confusing or threatening. Jay and Mal had a habit of slamming the door in his face and Evie usually requested a moment to make sure they were ready for dealing with him. Ben hadn’t been bothering them all that much but it was still something he took notice to.

“I have good news,” Ben left the door open to show he wasn’t trying to be a threat. “We were able to safely send supplies over to the Isle. My men are making sure the children are the priority. I was able to send a few things over for the adults as well.”

Mal raised an eyebrow upon hearing that. Jay was the one that spoke her exact thoughts aloud.

“And we are supposed to believe you because?” He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at the prince.

“I figured you would ask that,” Ben chuckled and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Here—” He showed a picture of the van and the vehicles that accompanied it, swiping right to show the interior of the van, and swiping once more to show it had made it on the Isle with several people handing things out.

The villain children were silent, exchanging glances with one another. Ben used it as an opportunity to bring up his idea.

“I was wanting to send fresh food over,” Ben pressed his lips together to suppress a frown. “But am not sure how to go about that. You made it sound as though there isn’t a system in place for getting food.”

“Oh no,” Jay shook his head. “There is one and it works but the kingdom isn’t in the habit of sending anything that isn’t rotten or canned over enough for that to go over well.”

“I see,” Ben furrowed his eyebrows together. “If I were to start sending fresh fruit and proper meals over—” Mal shook her head and caused him to trail off.

“It would be better received coming from us than the royal family. They would probably think you were trying to poison them.” She rolled her eyes.

“Okay,” Ben grimaced. “So we will work on a plan for that at a different date. I also kept my word on getting your sneakers. Just in time for tryouts, Jay but if they don’t feel comfortable I would stick to the pair you currently have. It takes a few days to break them in.”

“Who said I was trying out?” Jay scoffed, looking slightly disgusted by the idea. It was an act at that point but he had never explicitly told anyone besides his friends that he was thinking about it.

“I assumed you would be,” Ben shrugged. “Forgive me if I am wrong, but we could certainly use you on the team.”

“Fine,” Jay muttered. “Can I get a look at those shoes though?” There was a beat of silence where Ben took each box out and offered the two pairs to the rightful owners. Carlos seemed taken aback at being handed two boxes.

“N-n-no,” Carlos shook his head and tried to offer one of them back. Ben kept his arms behind his back and gave a shake of his head. “I only n-need…”

“They are for you,” Ben murmured, silently assessing why the act of giving him two would earn the reaction he was giving. He could vaguely remember the plastic bag that held his clothes and was aware that Carlos stuck to the same three sets of clothes but he assumed that was out of preference.

“I only need one,” Carlos gave another shake of his head, lower lip quivering while he tried to keep control of his emotions. Upon sensing his unease, Jay snagged the top box of shoes out of Carlos’s grasp and placed it on top of his closet. He was sure to push it back so it was out of sight.

“There,” Jay announced. “Problem solved. They’re up there in case you run into an issue with that pair.”

Ben kept quiet, looking slightly concerned since Carlos still looked ready to cry. The younger teen gave a nod then placed the box on his bed, excusing himself to the bathroom. No one said anything until they heard the lock click.

“What did I—” Evie cut Ben off before he finished his question. “It isn’t anything you did. He comes from one of the less fortunate home lives on the Isle is all.”

“One of the families that truly doesn’t have much,” Jay added with a shrug. “His mother taught him to appreciate what he has, not want for anything he didn’t.” It was a polite way of putting things but he wasn’t going to give more background than that. Sure, Cruella still had her car and Hell Hall but that didn’t mean she shared anything with her son.

Mal quickly changed the subject by opening up her shoes and gasping loudly. “They’re perfect.” She gave a genuine smile then cautiously eyed the purple fabric that was included with it. “What are these?”

“Socks?” Ben looked rather confused upon answering the question. “They make the shoes a little comfier. I assumed you didn’t have any so there’s enough to last the week in the bag. You wash them at the end of the week.”

“Okay,” Mal made a face then stuck the fabric on her feet, the look growing more perplexed once she had both of them on. “What’s the point of these?”

“Warmth and a better fit,” Ben shrugged, internally cringing at how uncertain he sounded about it. Mal cast a sideways glance at him then set the shoes on her feet, cautiously getting off the seat she sat on and chancing a few steps in them.

If Mal didn’t have an image to uphold, she would have given an Evie-like squeal of excitement upon experiencing properly fitting shoes for the first time in her life. Since she needed to be the leader, she maintained her composure and allowed a small smile to take over her lips.

“These will do,” She announced with a shrug then sat on Jay’s bed, glancing down at the black and purple coloring the new sneakers had.

Evie mimicked Mal in trying a pair on and gave an excited gasp upon spotting blue streaks in her sneakers. “They’re beautiful!” She giggled then approached the bathroom door, lightly knocking on it in an attempt to get Carlos’ attention.

“‘Los, don’t make me pick the lock open,” She threatened and gave a low laugh when a loud groan was heard and the door cracked open. Evie was face to face with a tear-streaked Carlos. He gave a sniffle and pressed his tongue against his cheek, keeping his gaze down at the tile beneath his feet.

“Pup, come on, they aren’t that bad,” Evie spoke softly. “Open up and look at mine.” Carlos opened the door a little more and gave a nod of approval. He kept his head down and crossed the room to his bed, promptly flopping onto it and burying his face in one of the pillows. Evie gave a slight shake of her head then approached Ben.

“It’s going to take him a bit to warm up to the idea of wearing them since the holes in his shoes haven’t done anything detrimental.” She whispered. Ben merely nodded, still feeling uneasy about Carlos’s reaction.

Jay had both shoes on his feet by the time Evie exited the bathroom. He hadn’t said anything about them and was content with looking down at them.

“If my father could see me now,” He whispered and let a small smile crease over his lips. The gold flecks on the fabric were quick to catch his eye and he couldn’t stop rocking on his feet to see how the light reflected off of them.

“They won’t penalize me if I use the old pair to try out?” Jay looked at Ben. “Not that these aren’t good but I don’t think I can trust them without wearing them for a few days.”

“Coach won’t,” Ben shook his head. If anything, it would come as a bit of a relief that one of the villain kids decided to try out for the team. Shoes would be the last thing on his mind if Jay proved to be player material.

“I can bring you down to the field if you want,” He added after a moment of silence then turned to where Evie and Mal sat. “Lonnie and Jane are planning to go into town if you want to join them. The school has a stipend for each of its students. Jane can set you up with your accounts. I can get Jay sorted out after tryouts.”

“Aren’t our parents supposed to cover that?” Mal scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Yes, but there were several benefactors that wanted to make sure you have a smooth transition into Auradon,” Ben nodded. “They’ve supplied enough for new clothes and getting a phone if you decide you want one.” His words were met with four identical looks of confusion, with Carlos peering up at him from over his pillow.

“Why though?” Carlos whispered. “With what our parents…” He didn’t want to finish the thought so he bit his lower lip and shook his head.

“Several families agreed with my proclamation that you be given a second chance,” Ben decided being honest was the best way to handle things. “There are a few that protested but they were drowned out by support in having you transfer to the school. They are committed to giving occasional aid as long as no school rules are broken and you prove to be a great addition to the student body.”

“No pressure,” Mal rolled her eyes. As much as she wanted to keep up the act of not giving a shit about anything, she couldn’t. It was truly perplexing that someone had an interest in seeing her and the others succeed.

“I’ll go to the field,” Carlos announced, looking a little more perked up after the moment spent being dramatic. His eyes were red but that wasn’t anything new. The one main change in appearance for him was no longer having dark circles under his eyes since he was able to sleep for the most part. “Just to watch.”

“Is the fabric store by where Lonnie and Jane were heading?” Evie asked. She would have to grab her sketchbook before they left.

“I believe it is, and if not just ask,” Ben shrugged. The idea was making the four seem as welcome as possible and Lonnie and Jane quickly volunteered to go. Audrey would have joined if she wasn’t needed back home.

“Okay,” Evie grinned. “And they’re not going to take offense if I get sewing supplies and decide to handmake my clothes?”

“Certainly not,” Ben shook his head. “We just want you to feel like you can be yourselves here. If making clothes is part of expressing that then so be it.”

With the main conversation and shoe exchanges done, Ben was left with bringing the girls to where the shuttle met and the boys to the Tourney field. A quick stop at Evie and Mal’s dorm proved necessary so the girls could grab the small bag he gave each of them. They didn’t plan on spending much but the idea of getting something new was far too exciting to pass on.

Jane gave Ben a quick hug when he approached then shied away, still uncertain about how to behave around Mal and Evie. Surprisingly, the girls seemed just as shy as she felt. She was quick to explain the debit cards she gave them and aided in helping them each set up a pin, expecting to need to go over it all over again once they got to a store and properly shopped. Lonnie was simply excited to get some girl time in.

Ben brought Jay and Carlos to the Tourney field once Lonnie reassured him they would be fine. The old team was getting ready to scrimmage and gave an excited shout when they spotted Ben.

“That’s last year’s team minus the graduates,” Ben smiled and waved at them. “Coach uses us as an example for newcomers before making us try out alongside them. A fair chance for everyone, you know?”

“Sure,” Jay muttered. He was busy watching the way the team took to the field, wincing when two boys ran into each other. They quickly pulled each other up and checked to make sure they were okay.

“Is every incident like that?” He made a face. The question earned a chuckle and nod from Ben.

“Yes, we encourage kindness and fair play on the field. There’s also team building activities off it.” Ben gave another nod. “Here’s the Coach.”

Jay and Carlos took a step back when the man approached, each standing up straight and holding their breath while the man looked them over.

“You brought new recruits?” He asked with a smile. Jay and Carlos released the breaths they were holding and nodded.

“From the Isle?” The Coach gave a grin when the teens nodded again. “This will be interesting. Just wait until you get handed the rulebook.”

“Rulebook?” The scoff came from Carlos. He gave a glance at Ben since the coach was back on the sidelines, shouting directions at Aziz and another player.

“Yeah, to make sure basic guidelines are kept and no one ends up getting hurt or cheating,” Ben nodded. He waved down the assistant coach and asked for a copy.

“What’s the fun in that?” Jay wrinkled his nose. He didn’t get the chance to say anything else since the assistant coach was back with a copy of the rules for him and Carlos.

“Alright they want me to join,” Ben chuckled and held up his index finger in the hope that that would get the team to stop calling for him. “Otherwise I’d explain more. You can ask David if you have any other questions.”

Carlos and Jay nodded at that then took a seat on one of the bleachers to begin reading over the rules. They managed to keep their thoughts to themselves since there were a few other classmates around them. Kris was the only one Carlos knew by name and there were three upperclassmen from the science class he switched into.

“Ah, so you decided to try out,” Kris’s chuckle made Jay look up. He gave a shake of his head and went back to reading.

“Sticking to watching for the time being,” Jay rolled his eyes. “Never said anything about joining.”

“And Carlos?” Carlos’s head snapped up at the casual tone that was used to mention his name.

“J-J-Just watching,” He shook his head. “Moral support if Jay goes for the team.”

“Eh, they could use you,” Kris shrugged his shoulders, deciding to continue when Carlos gave him a confused look. “I bet you’re fast.”

Carlos gave another shake of his head and decided to focus on reading, eyeing the last page several times to prolong the inevitable of needing to go back to small talk with the guys that planned on trying out.

The team finished their scrimmage and everyone was called onto the field. Jay cast a sideways glance at Carlos and mouthed ‘Are you going?’ then looked relieved when he got up.

Running was the first part of the tryouts. The coach split them into groups of four and had them run the length of the field then back again, repeating the process until he had a good idea about how fast each teen ran.

Carlos and Jay were put in the same group with Jay whispering a “bet you can’t beat me,” before they took off running. The other two participants were left gaping when Jay and Carlos were done before they even got to start the second lap.

A test on reflexes came next. They were placed in the “kill zone” and given a stick to fend balls off with. Carlos ended up somersaulting out of the way several times and Jay took to flipping instead of properly using the stick.

“Hey, lost boys,” The coach called out once the balls stopped. Jay and Carlos made a face and looked at the coach. The other participants were staring at them since the nickname must have applied to the boys from the Isle. “Let’s try that again — Less tricks, more going after the ball.”

Jay got the hang of things quickly while Carlos was left ducking and dodging instead of using the stick that was supposed to be his defense. The coach marked a few notes on his clipboard then called everyone back together.

“Alright,” The coach announced. “We are going to do a small scrimmage to see if we can combine everything.” The group was separated and Carlos was alarmed to be in a different section than Jay. Jay was placed with Aziz, Chad, Kris, Ben, and a few familiar faces. It caused Carlos to start over-analyzing every little thing that may have gone wrong. The lack of confidence was quick to disappear though since his attention was immediately caught once the group started moving.

“Should have gone left,” Carlos muttered from beside the coach when Chad tossed a pass to Aziz. Jay quickly intercepted and was already on the opposite side of the field. Ben was open but Jay swiftly sent the ball flying, scoring on a confused looking Kris.

“What was that?” The coach turned to Carlos, having only caught the left part of what he said.

“N-n-nothing,” Carlos quickly shook his head. “S-sorry I didn’t mean to disturb you.” He shrunk into himself after speaking, teeth digging into his lower lip since he still felt the coach’s gaze on him. “Chad should’ve gone to the left — where Amir was ready. Jay wouldn’t have had time to intercept.”

“Hmm,” The coach nodded then brought his attention back to the game. “I may need to have you talk strategy with David once we decide on the final team. We could use another keen eye to plan things.”

“Okay,” Carlos whispered and gave the coach a sideways glance. Pretending he understood what was going on seemed best since he knew he would be next on the field.

When it came to properly playing, Carlos did not go all out. He ran just fine but tried to refrain from showing off precisely how quick his reflexes were. The tryout came about because Jay was excited to participate. A threat of needing to see a doctor was what kept him from going all out.

At least, it kept him from going all out until one of the older students sent a ball hurtling in his direction. Carlos did a forward flip then barrel rolled and sent the ball flying toward the opposite end of the field, thinking little of the action since he landed back on his feet and was able to continue running. The action earned a round of applause. Another two minutes passed then the round was over.

Carlos sighed and sat beside Jay on the bench the newcomers were assigned, panting softly while he tried to catch his breath.

“What happened to not showing off?” Jay nudged him. Carlos grimaced then shook his head.

“That was an accident,” He grumbled. It earned him a few claps on the back and a ‘holy crap I didn’t know you could do that’ from Aziz that left him regretting having come out to watch in the first place.

“The announcement will be sent out tonight with a scrimmage tomorrow to figure out how to best sort out the roster,” The coach shouted, his voice dropping down a little when he continued. “My lost boys, if I can take you aside for a moment.”

Carlos and Jay exchanged an anxious glance with one another then nodded at each other. Their nervousness was made clear by Carlos tapping his foot against the ground and Jay scratching one of his fingers against his shorts.

“Let me begin by saying fantastic job,” The coach announced. Jay and Carlos looked at each other then back at him. “Jay I’m ready to offer you a spot on the team. Carlos, you need a little work but I’m willing to take you on. Ben said he is willing to train you and go over plays.”

“Where’s the catch?” Jay quirked a brow at the coach, fully anticipating a reason for them to not be allowed to play or practice that didn’t involve needing to get physicals in.

“Bright one you are,” The coach sighed. “You will be benched until your physicals are done and filed.” Jay deflated upon hearing that. “Now, I can’t stop you from playing outside of practice time, but if you’re wanting to be part of the team that’s going to require the physical and doctor’s approval to play.”

“I can get that done, sir,” Jay nodded. Carlos looked rather apprehensive about the idea.

“I’ll try to get it done,” He sighed after a moment of Jay and the coach looking at him.

“That’s the spirit!” The coach announced. “I look forward to getting to see you play.”


	11. I Don't Dance (Part II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls go shopping and Carlos makes a new friend.

Evie was buzzing with excitement by the time she, Mal, Lonnie, and Jane got on the bus that would take them off-campus. Mal took the back seat of observing while Lonnie and Evie chatted about what was to come.

Jane seemed a little more confident in being around the two villain girls. She still spoke rather fast but she seemed to relax when Mal offered to try to fix her hair for her. Those were the only words exchanged with Mal regretting having asked since it meant Jane would have to go back to the dorm with her and Evie.

“And the fabric store?” Evie couldn’t keep back the grin that formed at the thought of it. “Ben mentioned there’s one that’s run by someone his dad knows. Lots of material and my being able to ask about getting a secondhand sewing machine. Not that I need one but I read about them in one of the books on the Isle and it sounds like it makes the process go a lot quicker.”

“Wait,” Lonnie held a hand up to get Evie to stop rambling. “You mean to tell me you made what you and Mal are currently wearing?”

“I did,” The blue-haired teen shrugged. “Along with Carlos’ shorts and Jay’s jacket. Why?”

“That’s impressive,” Lonnie grinned. “What about dresses?” She felt a pang of embarrassment upon catching the slight change in Evie’s posture at being asked.

“Didn’t have enough material to try,” Evie glanced down at her lap. “The little bits I had were used for saving the shirts we wore. I got very good at reconstructing from scraps.” There was a brief pause then her expression changed, the smallest of smiles taking over once she pulled out her design book.

“Here, look!” She offered the sketchbook to Lonnie, opening it to a page that had a dress design for Mal on it. “Now, this isn’t the original idea. That one’s back on the Isle, but it’s pretty close. I based it off one of Jasmine’s looks but decided it needed some Isle flare to it.”

“What about the headpiece?” Lonnie lightly ran her fingers over the little scrap of fabric that was on the page.

“That’s Dizzy’s design,” Her expression faltered upon bringing up the sister she left behind. “Drizella’s daughter. She’s got a knack for design as well. Brilliant at hair and makeup too. I let her keep my original book so she had a part of me to keep her company while I’m out here.”

“That’s so sweet,” Lonnie sighed. “Can I turn to the next page?” Evie nodded, watching out of the corner of her eye while Lonnie glanced over the design for Carlos. “Seriously, you’ve got talent. I can’t wait to see what you do once you get your hands on some fabric.”

“Really?” Evie frowned at hearing that. Mal and Jay were always reassuring her that her designs were flawless but they were her friends. They were supposed to be supportive. “Mother always said I was wasting my time on drawing dresses I would never get to wear.”

“Really,” Lonnie nodded. “We’ll have to go to the fabric store after Jane and I pick up our gowns for family weekend.”

“Family weekend?” Mal asked, properly looking at Lonnie for the first time that day.

“When our relatives come up to visit. There’s that, then homecoming, then the coronation,” Jane answered. “Mom said they’re working on a little something for you and the others since your parents can’t visit.”

“They don’t need to do anything,” Evie shook her head, earning a similar look from Mal.

“You must miss them,” Lonnie added. “I know I miss my parents and my brother.” Mal pressed her lips together to keep from saying anything sarcastic.

“A little,” Evie wrinkled her nose. She hadn’t exactly thought about her mother besides acknowledging that she and the others would get into more trouble than they had ever been in if they didn’t get their hands on the wand.

“Not exactly,” Mal shrugged. “It’s nice not getting woken up by her yelling at people from the balcony.”

“It’s been almost a week since someone last criticized my appearance,” Evie added with a soft laugh. “Which reminds me, I need to get tweezers.”

Jane and Lonnie exchanged a quick look with each other, slight changes in their eyebrows being the only thing to give away their minor concern toward what was said.

“What about the guys?” Lonnie decided to press further. It may not have been the best option but she was willing to get snapped at for trying to dig a little deeper into life on the Isle.

“Eh,” Evie grimaced. “Our parents weren’t exactly overly affectionate with any of us.” She wasn’t sure what to say about the boys so that would hopefully suffice.

“There isn’t much to miss,” Mal added then shrugged her shoulders. “Mum tried her best but she and the others didn’t exactly know how to parent.”

“You can’t be serious,” Lonnie tilted her head to the side, choosing to ignore the warning look from Jane.

“Yes, I can,” Mal nodded. “Mother isn’t the lovable type. Dad didn’t care enough about me to bother with showing up to birthdays.” She paused to scowl. “Jay and Carlos didn’t even get birthday parties.”

“At least you were allowed to roam the Isle,” Evie rolled her eyes. They were past that petty disagreement but it still felt necessary to remind Mal that a good chunk of her life was spent cooped up at home with her mother.

“That was only because you didn’t invite me to your party,” Mal gave a bitter laugh. “Like how Aurora’s parents invited everyone from the goddamn countryside and didn’t bother to ask my mom if she wanted to go. She said it was one of the highest insults anyone could have given me.”

“Water under the bridge at this point,” Evie cast Lonnie and Jane a reassuring smile. Mal gave a brief nod then spoke again.

“Things are just different on the Isle,” She shrugged. “They don’t really encourage the whole familial ties thing.”

“Oh,” Lonnie gave an awkward look at the two then turned back to Jane, uncertain about what else to say. “I just assumed — you know, even villains love their kids.”

Mal and Evie’s expressions fell, the look of unease made clear through their avoiding eye contact with Lonnie and Jane.

“Yeah,” Mal deadpanned. “That’s not something worth wishing for. Most of us figure out trying to earn their affection is a waste of time by the time we’re old enough to speak full sentences.”

“Wow,” Lonnie muttered under her breath. She hadn’t expected things to take as serious of a turn as they had. “Uh, right so shops?” She made a face and mouthed ‘help’ at Jane.

“The seamstress, the fabric store, and maybe the grocery store? Mum wants me to pick up something for dinner,” Jane shrugged. “Any other ideas?”

“Those are all in one place?” Evie couldn’t mask her confusion, finding it hard to believe one shop could carry that much stuff.

“Oh no,” Jane shook her head. “They’re separate stores. All pretty close together.”

“And the street vendors?” Mal quirked a brow. They only ever got anything useful off the vendors. The stores were usually full of junk.

“Auradon doesn’t have vendors, silly,” Lonnie shook her head. “The stores get a designated building. There’s seriously everything you could possibly think of.”

“Grocery store?” Evie added once the others were done talking. “What’s that exactly?”

“Seriously?” Jane was the one to give a confused look. “It’s got every type of food you can think of.”

Evie and Mal were quiet upon hearing that. They cast a sideways glance at each other then Mal decided to do the talking.

“I take it Audrey didn’t mention what food looks like on the Isle?” She asked in the most casual tone she could force out.

“No,” Jane blushed and glanced away when Audrey was mentioned. “She neglected to mention that.”

“Let’s just say Auradon doesn’t really send…” Mal paused to let her words sink in. “Any of the food you regularly see in the cafeteria our way.”

“If they don’t, then what do they send?” Lonnie almost regretted asking the question. If it meant having a better idea of why the villain kids behaved the way they did, she would need to know.

“Canned goods and rotten fruit mostly,” Evie shrugged. “There are a few people that would fish but the catches were rarely worth eating. Most of the fish are smaller than my hand.”

“For Merlin’s sake,” Jane whispered. It explained why the four all looked as little as they did. “The King said they regularly ship out food and goods each month.”

“They’re treating the Isle like a trash can,” Mal rolled her eyes. “It’s been that way since I can remember.”

The van came to a stop, parked on a street in downtown Auradon. The other passengers excitedly whispered and undid their seatbelts, quickly exiting the van. Lonnie and Jane looked Mal and Evie over, expressions clouded while one of them tried to find something to say.

“I’m sorry,” Jane settled on saying once they got up to depart. Her words were met by Mal and Evie shaking their heads.

“Don’t,” Mal pressed her tongue against her cheek. “It’s on the royals, not on you.”

“I just assumed they must care about the people on the Isle or at least must have regulated it,” Jane mumbled. “Have you mentioned it to Ben?

“It’s whatever. He has an idea of things.” Mal glared at her feet and exited the van, mouth agape when she saw what the shopping area looked like. She wasn’t sure if she was impressed or mad since it put the entire Isle to shame. Evie gave an excited squeal from beside her.

“I must be dreaming,” She gasped out and slowly looked around the street. They were surrounded by ornate buildings with too many storefronts for her to keep track of.

“You can’t be serious,” Mal grimaced. “Makes me wonder if our parents are the reason our home looks the way it does or if the king and queen gave a shit about any of them in the first place.”

Evie’s excitement quickly diminished, replaced with memories of needing to collect every container around the house to catch rain through the holes in the roof. Rag covered children running barefoot through the streets. Never feeling like there was enough food to go around.

“Probably both,” She mumbled. “Seeing as most of the adults have destructive tendencies and the royals weren’t big on checking in.”

Lonnie and Jane didn’t say anything. Jane awkwardly rocked on the balls of her feet, trying to find the correct way to phrase her thought.

“So the seamstress first?” She offered a forced smile and gave a nervous laugh. “That way Evie can get a few ideas before going to the fabric store.”

Mal and Evie exchanged a sideways glance then nodded in response. Lonnie happily took the lead.

“Just wait until you see them!” She grinned, walking several feet away from the bus and taking a left down a different street. “She used to do all the outfits for the King’s family — back before the spell was placed on the castle and way before Ben was born.”

Evie and Mal did not bother trying to match Lonnie and Jane’s enthusiasm. The two followed after them but didn’t say much else, too focused on trying to assess everything around them.

“Here we are,” Lonnie stopped outside a lilac-colored building. Mal and Evie raised a brow at the colorful exterior and eyed the window displays.

“I’ve never seen that sort of stitching before,” Evie whispered, leaning in to the point where her nose almost pressed against the glass.

“Come on,” The brunette called from where she held the door open. Evie hadn’t realized Mal and Jane had entered the store.

“My bad,” Evie winced and tore her gaze from the dresses and suits in the window. Stepping inside earned a stifled squeal. Mal rolled her eyes, going out of her way to make sure Evie didn’t see it.

She would never understand the teen’s excitement toward design. It simply wasn’t something she was interested in. Seeing Evie light up, however, made tolerating the trip indoors worthwhile. She was far too used to seeing frowns on her friends’ lips since the Isle didn’t offer much to look forward to.

“Look at the coloring of this one,” Evie took hold of Mal’s hand and dragged her toward one of the mannequins. There was a moment of hesitation then Evie reached forward to touch the satin material. Her posture relaxed when no one threw anything or swore at her for touching something that didn’t belong to her.

“I think it would suit you.” She continued then moved on to the next dress. Evie was overly cautious when it came to examining things. She was sent jumping backward when the shop owner appeared at the counter near where she stood.

Evie immediately shoved her hands behind her back and looked down at her feet, shoulders shaking even though she was trying to convince herself she wasn’t scared. Mal took on a similar stance and the two clenched their jaws in an attempt at bracing themselves for the screaming that was about to commence.

“Here to pick up your dresses, dears?” The woman asked in a soft tone of voice, gaze focused on Lonnie and Jane. They gave a nod and took a step back when the seamstress’ gaze settled on Mal and Evie. “You must be two of the teens Ben and my husband mentioned.”

Evie and Mal didn’t say anything. The only acknowledgment toward her words was their looking at her out of the corner of their eyes. She didn’t seem mean but the two knew looks could be deceiving.

“Your husband?” Mal avoided making eye contact with the stranger. They had met a handful of adults and she barely paid attention to who was who. The whole school week was a blur of mixed emotions.

“Yes, my husband,” The blonde nodded. “I’m Babette. Lumiere’s wife. He mentioned one of you has a knack for sewing and was interested in getting a sewing machine?”

Evie’s head snapped up at that. Her eyes went wide and she rapidly nodded yes, needing to bite her lower lip to keep from excitedly blabbering.

“That was me,” Evie offered a nervous smile. “I fear I don’t know how to use one but the books back home made it seem like something I have to try.”

The woman gave another nod, quietly studying the teenager. Having worked for the king while the whole castle was under a spell left her well aware that looks were deceiving. Her loyalty to Adam and Belle was certainly proof of that since she could have abandoned them and joined with one of the smaller kingdoms. With this in mind, she was left studying the blue and purple-haired teenagers.

They both seemed overly timid like Lumiere had said. Good manners except for the two not maintaining eye contact. They didn’t seem overly talkative but she was willing to bet that would change once they got used to the place. Babette pursed her lips then nodded once more.

“I have one I can lend out,” She announced. Evie’s eyes lit up at that. “But I would want to give you a few lessons before allowing it to venture to school with you. Do you think we can make that work?”

Evie glanced at Mal. A slightly anxious look took over her expression and she pressed her tongue against her cheek. The Isle had the children well aware that adults could not be trusted. Being alone with an adult was practically unthinkable unless they were their parents.

“That depends,” Evie steeled herself then made eye contact with the woman. “Would Mal be able to join me?”

“I don’t see why not,” Babette offered a smile. Mal narrowed her eyes at Evie then nodded. She didn’t need to know how to sew so that time would be used to catch up on her drawings.

“Perfect,” Evie sighed in relief. “Where are the lessons going to be held?” She asked in a softer tone of voice.

“Here seems like a good spot,” Babette paused. “Perhaps Sunday afternoons since the shop closes early that day? You would be able to take the shuttle to and from here.”

“Uh sure,” Evie nodded then looked to where Jane and Lonnie stood. “Are we able to see their dresses now?”

“Yes of course,” The woman nodded. “Trust me, I didn’t forget about you girls. Give me a moment.” She turned on her heel and disappeared through a door behind the counter.

“See, I told you she’s nice,” Lonnie laughed. “Wait until you see the gowns. I asked her for something that looks like it came from home and she — You’ll see.”

The girls talked excitedly among themselves until Babette reappeared. Mal and Evie took a few steps back so Lonnie and Jane could be the first to look.

“Can we try them on?” Jane grinned, face flushing since she hadn’t tossed in a thank you at first. “I mean — They’re beautiful but I- Could we model them for Mal and Evie?”

“Yes, please,” Lonnie gave a rapid nod in agreement. “Assuming they’re okay with it.”

“Of course,” Evie grinned. Mal looked rather uncertain then shrugged, “Sure, why not?”

Jane and Lonnie shrieked with excitement then took the dresses, quickly passing by the two villain kids in an attempt to keep things secret. They disappeared into the dressing area and changed, the only sound coming when Jane called out for Lonnie since she was struggling with zippering hers all the way.

Another moment of silence then the two reappeared, each grinning once they stepped out and spotted the full-length mirror.

“I think this is your best yet,” Lonnie announced. “The colors remind me of my mom’s uniform. I can’t believe I let you convince me to accept pink in it.”

Babette laughed softly then took a step closer to Lonnie, looking the gown over to make sure it didn’t need any extra edits. “How does the zipper feel?”

“Perfect,” The teen grinned. “I needed a little help getting it up. Good other than that.”

“And Jane?” The blonde raised a brow at the other teen. Jane grinned and did a little spin in front of the mirror.

“It’s perfect!” She laughed. “Beautiful as usual.” She never had complaints when it came to new dresses. If anything, she occasionally wished that her mother would let go of the idea of dressing similarly. Babette always found a way to get the dress to seem more like her than something her mother would wear.

“Perfect,” Babette nodded. “I’m glad to see we don’t need additional alterations. Not that I was worried in the first place but you two were the first to get their orders in.”

“Thank you so much,” Lonnie and Jane said at the same time. The two disappeared to change out of their dresses and make sure the gowns were safely back in their garment bags. They returned a few minutes later.

“So fabric shop?” Lonnie raised a brow at Evie. The purple-haired teen nodded enthusiastically. The rest of their afternoon was spent shopping, with Mal and Evie arriving back at their dorm with a few bags of fabric, paint, and chocolate for the boys.

The following morning was marked by Carlos being up earlier than the rest. A brief talk with Ben after tryouts had them agreeing a few practices wouldn’t hurt. The time was set early since Ben had to do brunch with his parents. Carlos knew better than to complain about it. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful so going along with it was better than seeming anxious at the idea of waking up early on a weekend.

“Morning,” Ben gave a wide grin when he spotted Carlos. The younger teen wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

“How are you so chipper?” Carlos wrinkled his nose and squinted at Ben. The sun was just coming up and he picked the wrong side of the field to stand on.

“I’m used to it,” Ben shrugged. “Mmm, and coffee helps.”

Carlos’s ears went red at coffee being mentioned. He chuckled nervously then shook his head. “Yeah, M-Mal says I’m not s’posed to drink that.”

“Why would she say that?” The prince arched a brow at him. Carlos laughed.

“Too much p-pent up energy as it is without it.” He shrugged.

“Understandable,” Ben nodded. “Just know your opinion on that will likely change once midterms and finals hit.”

“Eh I survived Dragon Hall without it,” Carlos shrugged. “Here doesn’t seem nearly as bad. Uh… anyway. Training?”

“Yeah, training.” Ben looked Carlos over, uncertain about whether or not he should question Dragon Hall. The change in subject was a reminder of why they were up and the only ones on the school field.

“I figure a few running drills to start? Count it as a warmup. Coach mentioned wanting to toss you into the kill zone to work on your reflexes but we’d need David to set that up.” Ben ran his hand through his hair and wrinkled his nose. “How are you with sprinting?”

“Just tell me where to run,” Carlos shrugged. “Got a lot of practice in it back home.” There weren’t any organized sports on the Isle but he could outrun bullies and his mother and her goons. That had been good enough on the Isle.

“We’ll start with the first line and back, then add the next and finally the whole way across the field,” Ben gestured at the lines painted on the grass. “Do you need a practice run?”

Carlos shook his head and walked to the end of the field. The first part didn’t sound too bad - running a quarter of the way across the field and back. The distance would be manageable. He just wasn’t sure if skipping breakfast had been a good call or not.

“Ready?” Ben called out from halfway across the field. He had a stopwatch in hand, clicking it on and shouting go once Carlos nodded.

Carlos took off running, easily getting the first two parts of the drill done. He was about to start the third when something started barking from behind him. One glance backward left him full out sprinting across the field and past the goal. A small animal took chase from several feet behind him.

He didn’t stop until he found a tree that was quick to climb. His heart was pounding in his ears by the time he found a thick branch to perch on, shoulders shaking while he tried to regain control of his emotions. The creature was on its hind legs at the base of the tree, barking up at him and not appearing to want to back down.

It took a few minutes for Ben to locate them, the dog’s whining having led him to where Carlos was. He looked surprised at spotting a terrified Carlos halfway up the tree. Figuring out how to handle things proved to be his biggest challenge. Even his parents wouldn’t have had a proper protocol for talking Cruella de Vil’s son out of a tree to see a dog.

“Dude, down,” Ben clicked his tongue when the mutt didn’t come to his side. “Good boy.”

“D-d-did you just call it a g-good boy?” Carlos cried out from where he perched. “Why would you do that?”

“He listened,” Ben shrugged. Carlos didn’t seem to approve of the decision.

“It’s a — a rabid mindless eating machine,” Carlos shook his head. “Didn’t you see? It tried to—” The rest of his claim was lost to Ben stooping down to pick the dog up.

“It’s going to attack your face,” Carlos adjusted how he was sitting so he could cover his eyes. No sounds of dismemberment were heard and the dog hadn’t barked since being picked up. Ben dared to chuckle at his comment.

“Who told you that?” The prince did his best to suppress the grin that was trying to spread over his lips. Carlos was taking the fear of dogs seriously and it would do neither of them any good if Ben poked fun at him for it.

“My mother, who else?” Carlos exclaimed and glanced down at Ben, looking rather wary since the dog was licking his face and Ben seemed unaffected.

“Your mother,” Ben raised a brow. Carlos nodded then carefully moved back toward where the branch met the base of the tree. He wasn’t ready to get down yet but the lack of screaming was certainly easing his nerves.

“Of course my mother,” Carlos shook his head. “She’s like- like a dog whisperer or something. Said they’re pack animals that—” His trailing off earned a confused look from Ben.

“That what?” Ben gently scratched behind Dude’s ears. He took a step closer to the tree so he could get a better look at Carlos. The teen still looked terrified.

“N-Nothing,” Carlos winced. “It’s unimportant.” Ben shook his head, trying to find words of encouragement. There was an awkward silence between them.

“Carlos,” Ben exhaled after a moment. “What did she tell you?”

Carlos squeezed his eyes shut. His knuckles were white against the branch of the tree, grip tightening since he was wishing a black hole would open up and swallow him. Luck was not on his side so he was left digging his teeth into his lower lip and cautiously glancing back down at Ben.

“They eat children if they don’t behave,” Carlos spoke softly. He shrunk into himself once the words were out in the open. Ben blinked up at Carlos. He was quiet while he carefully chose his words.

“I assure you dogs don’t eat children,” Ben sighed. It sounded stupid to say but the words caught Carlos’s attention. “Are you able to get down? I’d like to introduce you to Dude. Maybe you two can take some time to get to know each other?”

Carlos’s eyes widened. He stared down at Ben then looked at the dog he was holding. Dude hadn’t bit or anything and he trusted the prince enough to doubt it was a setup of some sort. He needed several deep breaths before he skillfully climbed down the tree. His back pressed against the tree and he picked the route he was going to use if he needed to run.

“Here, he’s not so bad,” Ben took a step closer to the trembling teen. He held Dude to his chest then looked at Carlos. “Hold your hand out. He’ll sniff you.”

Carlos gulped then reached his right hand up, the left being the one he favored when it came to writing, and held it in front of the dog’s face. He flinched when the dog leaned forward to sniff him, cold nose wet against his skin.

He was holding his breath, unwilling to move while the creature’s attention was on him. A low laugh escaped when the dog opted for licking his hand.

“Now that you seem acquainted,” Ben chuckled. “Carlos this is Dude — the campus mutt. Dude meet Carlos one of our...” His thought trailed off since he wasn’t sure if he heard Carlos correctly.

“Like me,” The words slipped out before Carlos could stop them. He blushed and looked down at his feet. Memories of his mother referring to him as a worthless mutt were flooding back.

“You okay?” Ben chanced gently brushing his fingers against Carlos’ shoulder. The teen jumped then nodded.

“I’m the closest thing mum got to a dog,” Carlos admitted with a shake of his head, unable to look Ben in the eye. “Let’s just say she tended to go for kicking the runt instead of opting for belly rubs.” His teeth dug into his lower lip after that and he reached out to pet Dude, looking slightly relieved when the dog didn’t recoil.

Ben didn’t know what to say so he put Dude down. A look of relief washed over when the dog nuzzled his head against Carlos’ leg. The first meeting hadn’t been the best but he had a feeling the two would be good for each other.

“I’m going to go ahead and say that practice is over,” He sighed and gave Carlos a once over. “I’ll let you two get to know each other a little better. He sort of gets free roam over campus.”

Carlos gave a nod then flinched back suddenly, rapidly shaking his head. “B-Ben.”

“Yes?” The prince was truly at a loss for handling the little bit of information Carlos gave him. Anything more and it would have to turn into his canceling brunch with his parents so he could talk things over with Jane and Audrey.

“I pr-promise I’m not going to do anything to him,” Carlos spoke in a rush. He took a deep breath then slowly released it. “I’m not my mother and I don’t— I wouldn’t want to bring him back to her.”

“Carlos,” Ben tried to sound reassuring. “I wouldn’t have offered to let you take him if I didn’t think you could be trusted.”

Carlos nodded, quietly blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall. “Oh… kay. I just—” Another deep breath was needed before he could continue. “I know I have a rep because of my- _Cruella_. I’m n-not… Nothing like her.”

“You don’t need to defend yourself to me,” Ben shook his head. “You and the others wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think you could be trusted with coming to Auradon. I have faith that we will make it through the term with little issue and you don’t need to try to convince me you’re not going to skin Dude.”

Carlos gave a bitter chuckle at the last part then nodded. “Like I said… Not like her.” Ben gave a nod at that then ran off. Carlos shakily dropped to the ground and let Dude lick the tears off his cheeks.

“If he only knew what Mal had planned,” He mumbled and ran his hand through Dude’s fur.


	12. Doctor, doctor give me the news...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to the infirmary. The boys get their check-up done and aren't entirely happy with the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! As a heads up, there will be references to mental health in this chapter. This includes screening references and a brief sentence on suicidal ideology. Nothing overly major but I am well aware that may be triggering to some and wanted to give a warning.

“Carlos?” Fairy Godmother tilted her head at the youngest of the transfer students from the Isle. The teen looked up, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Class still had a few minutes before it was going to start.

“Yes ma’am?” His voice shook and gave away the sudden nerves that appeared. Dude stood up on his hind legs and nudged Carlos’s arm with his head.

“What is Dude doing here?” She asked. They had a strict no animal policy unless it was a guide dog or emotional support animal. Ben and Jane hadn’t mentioned anything about any of the new students bonding with the campus mutt.

Carlos’s expression faltered and he looked down at the dog, teeth digging into his lower lip before he glanced at Fairy Godmother. The others weren’t in the classroom yet so he couldn’t be saved by one of them doing the talking.

“He won’t leave my side, ma’am,” He sighed and looked down at his notebook. “Sorry, he’s being— being a disturbance. He was doing good at staying under my chair or in the hallway.”

“We don’t usually allow dogs in the classrooms,” Fairy Godmother shook her head. “I may make an exception if he isn’t a distraction to you and your classmates.”

Carlos rapidly nodded his head then coaxed Dude under his desk. He snagged a few pieces of bacon from breakfast and was using those as a reward when the dog didn’t act out.

Evie, Jay, and Mal arrived in the room about twenty seconds before the bell went off, the three sliding into their seats and wearing innocent smiles since they weren’t late.

“Good afternoon, class,” Fairy Godmother murmured. She smiled when the teens nodded. “I am proud to announce you survived your first week in Auradon.”

“Barely,” Jay chuckled and winked to show he was joking. “Did you hear Carlos and I tried out for Tourney?”

“No, I did not,” The headmistress shook her head. “But I am pleased to hear you tried out. How did it go?”

“We need to get—” He paused, trying to find the words he was looking for. “Get the- the thing you mentioned done or we can’t practice or play.”

“Physicals.” Fairy Godmother corrected him. “I can get those scheduled for you. Usually, we go through the nurses. I don’t think you’ve met any of them yet though.”

“No ma’am.” Jay shook his head. The others shook their heads as well. “We don’t know where the office is.”

“Hm,” Fairy Godmother mused. “I thought that was included in the school tour.”

“There was too much to take in if it was.” Evie tried to reassure her. “I’m surprised we didn’t get lost finding our dorms the first couple of days.”

“How does a class trip sound?” The headmistress suggested. Mal grimaced at the thought.

“A class trip to the nurse’s office?” She grumbled. “Not all that thrilling.”

“Yeah, but we may need it,” Evie nudged her. “Between Carlos being accident-prone and Jay’s… being himself, it’s surprising that we haven’t needed to visit.”

“Hey,” Carlos and Jay said at the same time. Evie smirked at them then looked back at the headmistress.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” She announced in her tone that dared the others to challenge her. Thankfully, they didn’t.

“Grab your things then.” Fairy Godmother nodded and took her notebook, waiting for the teens to grab their bags and show they were ready to go. She took the lead once the four were staring expectantly at her. They hesitated before following her, sticking several feet behind her the whole walk to the infirmary.

“Here we are dears.” She stopped outside a door with a caduceus on the window. A small placard below it read ‘Infirmary.’ Evie and Mal were at the lead of the group with the boys straggling behind them.

“I believe Merryweather is in for today,” Fairy Godmother murmured. She went to open the door and paused, gaze settling on Carlos. “Dude will need to stay. I’m afraid they don’t allow dogs.”

“You heard her, Dude,” Carlos whispered. “Stay.” The dog tilted its head to the side then sat beside the door. “I -I think we’re ready.”

Fairy Godmother held the door open, allowing the teens to pass before she spoke again. “We have two nurses. Their names are Fauna and Merryweather.”

“Fauna and Merryweather?” Mal gasped out, eyebrows furrowing together at the names. “They’re not — I can’t talk to them.”

“Mal,” Fairy Godmother looked at the teen. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Mum’s sworn enemies,” She shook her head. “I’m not supposed to — She wouldn’t want me…”

“Have they done anything to you, Mal?” The headmistress asked, earning a shocked look from Mal.

“No.” Mal shook her head a few times, unable to look the teacher in the eye.

“And have you done anything to them?” The Fairy Godmother raised a brow at her.

“No ma’am.” Mal whispered, gaze traveling up to settle on her teacher’s eyes.

“Then I see little reason to worry.” Fairy Godmother shrugged. “They are already aware that you four transferred over and are a few of the adults on board with Ben’s idea.”

“Why would they want anything to do with us?” Jay frowned. Their classmates were still getting used to them being around. The idea of adults wanting anything to do with them was unfathomable.

“Ben brought up a very good point,” She sighed. “Being that you each deserve better than what Auradon gave you back on the Isle.”

“Are his parents on board with the idea?” Jay narrowed his eyes. That was the one question that was burning in the back of his mind.

“For the most part,” The headmistress remarked. “They were a little anxious but have faith you will prove to be a beneficial addition to the kingdom.”

“No pressure.” Mal scoffed. She would have said more if it weren’t for the appearance of a small woman in blue.

“Fairy Godmother,” The woman smiled warmly. “What brings you here for a visit?”

“It was brought to my attention that the infirmary was skipped during the initial tour our transfer students received, Merryweather,” Fairy Godmother remarked. “I’m wanting to give them an idea of what it looks like if you don’t mind giving a small tour.”

“Certainly.” Merryweather nodded, taking a moment to look over each student. They were overly skinny and kept close to one another. None of them looked them in the eye. The one plus side of things was none of them being injured and Fairy Godmother having decided to do a tour of the place before things turned into an emergency involving them.

“May I get your names?” She continued. The only one to look at her was the tallest of the bunch. He had a beanie on and gave her a calculated once-over before deciding to speak.

“I’m Jay,” He announced, then looked at the smallest teen from the group. “This is Carlos, Evie, and Mal.” He pointed to each girl when he spoke their names. The others didn’t say anything, keeping their gaze on the ground. “Did you want our parentage attached to that?”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” Merryweather shook her head. “I’m Merryweather. One of the two nurses that run the infirmary. Fauna and I split shifts.” Her expression faltered when none of the transfer students said anything. Sensing her unease, Fairy Godmother cleared her throat.

“I figured the nurse office, then the proper infirmary,” She murmured. “Merlin forbid one of them gets badly hurt during a tourney or jousting tournament.”

“Tourney,” Merriweather looked at Jay and Carlos. “I wasn’t told any of you tried out for the team. We usually try to time physicals before the tryouts so everyone gets a fair chance at playing and practices.”

“We didn’t know we were trying out until the day of,” Jay muttered. “Sort of a spur of the moment decision, you know?” Carlos nodded in agreement.

“Are you the one that does the — the …. what’s the word again?” Carlos looked down at the fairy.

“Physicals,” She answered. “It depends on the day you go to get them done. Weekends vary since we usually spend time with Aurora. Sometimes Flora steps in so Fauna and I get the weekend off. If it’s a case of none of us being available, Doc usually does them.”

“Where do you do them?” Mal surprised the others by asking the question. They were under the impression she wouldn’t want anything to do with looking into getting them done. That and the mention of Aurora. They were left waiting with bated breath to see if the fairy treated her any differently.

“I can show you,” Merryweather offered a small smile. “This way.” The teens and Fairy Godmother followed after her.

“This room is the nurse’s office,” She paused outside an open doorway. “Fauna or I usually take the vitals and decide whether or not a student needs to be seen. Broken limbs, flu symptoms, and head injuries require the next room.”

“Who is Doc?” Evie asked while she peered around the room. Dragon Hall’s nurse’s office wasn’t even an office — just a closet with bandaids and gauze wrap carelessly tossed in. Half of the stuff was too old to be used.

“You’ll meet him in a moment.” Merryweather murmured and ran her hands over the smock she wore. “Once we get past the waiting room.”

The waiting room was through a hidden door behind where the fairies would sit. Mal gave a soft scoff when the door appeared and chose not to say anything. It was mildly perplexing that the school didn’t encourage magic and seemed to use it for minor things. Not that a trap door even counted as magical but the fairy had waved her hand to get it to open. The Isle didn’t have that sort of technology.

They were met with pastel colors and several plush sofas. There was someone that looked a bit like Doug manning a desk in the center of the room.

“Good afternoon, Merryweather,” The man offered a smile. “How can I help this group?”

“Good to see you, Don,” Merryweather curtsied. “Is your father available to do a quick tour? These are transfer students from the Isle, getting a glimpse of what we offer health-wise.”

“Ah,” Don gave a quick nod and pushed his glasses against the brim of his nose. “He’s got a patient in room one but they should be done soon. If you want to bring them to room two, I can let him know to visit there next.”

“Sounds perfect,” Merryweather nodded. “Thank you.” She took off walking again. The four teens hesitated then followed her, not appreciating the soft lighting and clean scent that filled the waiting room. Fairy Godmother hung back a moment, waiting until they were several feet away from her to address Don.

“They are rather skittish,” She whispered to him. “None of the usual appearing out of nowhere that he usually does. I don’t think they’ve ever actually been to a doctor either. We’ll be needing to schedule physicals for the boys if the glimpse of the office and the infirmary doesn’t scare them out of wanting to get them.”

“Understood,” Don answered. “I’ll be sure to mention that when he’s finished up with room one.”

“The room is a little small,” Merryweather announced once they reached the room. “We usually only allow a student and one or two of their peers, sometimes parents if the situation requires it.”

“What happens if one of us gets injured to a point of needing to let our parents know?” Evie tilted her head to the side. The door to room two hadn’t even been opened and she was already asking the tough questions.

“We would have to do a video call,” Merryweather shrugged. “Usually the parents come to visit. The king and queen haven’t worked a plan out for a worst-case scenario involving any of you.”

“Would it — Would it mean b-being…” Carlos trailed off and shook his head, taking a deep breath before trying again. “Being sent… home?”

“I would hope not,” The fairy shook her head. “I know little about the Isle you come from but have been made aware we appear to have better healthcare.”

“Right,” Jay rolled his eyes. “Because you can’t have one of us dying on your watch. The Royals wouldn’t give a shit about our survival if we weren’t here.”

“Jay.” Evie hissed out, her tone serving as a warning that earned an elbow to the side from Mal.

“No, he’s right,” Mal spoke through gritted teeth. “She should know we don’t have doctors back home. Minimal medicine and the occasional death or two during the winter since lack of meds means failure to save a life if someone gets sick enough.” 

Fairy Godmother joined them and only caught the end of what Mal said. The rest of it couldn’t have been any good since Merryweather’s face was pale. The fairy cleared her throat and opened the door to the exam room, allowing the four to enter then exchanging a look with the headmistress.

The headmistress mouthed the words ‘we’ll talk later’ at Merryweather then forced a smile to address the teens. “You can take a seat if you want.”

Her statement earned four teens shaking their heads. They were grouped by the door and were almost standing on top of each other. The adults took a step toward the exam table to give everyone some space.

“This is the exam room,” Merryweather announced. “The doctor will be in to give a better explanation, but this is where we test for common illnesses and decide the next form of action.”

“Form of action?” Carlos could barely be heard, having hidden behind Mal and Jay. He poked his head around Jay and cleared his throat. “What— I don’t…”

“Sometimes students need to be booked into the infirmary or a private room until their symptoms are no longer contagious,” She explained. “Or there may be a case of needing to watch a concussion to make sure there wasn’t any other trauma.”

“Concussion?” Jay wrinkled his nose at the word. “Can’t say I’ve heard that one before.”

“We see them a lot with the sports players,” Merryweather murmured. “Earned from getting hit in the head. Memory loss and confusion are usually symptoms. Light sensitivity too.”

“So there’s a word for that,” He grimaced. “Wish I had known that since it probably would’ve convinced Pop to let me rest instead of insisting I stock shelves.”

Merryweather was spared coming up with something else to say since Doc knocked on the door that separated the patient area from the doctors’ area. There was a beat of silence then he opened it.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos exchanged a glance with one another. The doctor was on the short side and they doubted he would be of much help - not that they had any reason to need his aid.

“Good af-afternoon,” He stammered, ears going red from the appearance of it. It took several years of speech therapy to get past his usually jumbled thoughts. His hope of not slipping up in front of the evil queen’s child was quickly lost. The group of teenagers looked just as terrified of him as he was of them. They were just children, after all, but he still had a small fear that they may be like their parents.

“I’m D-Doc,” The dwarf looked shocked since the smallest of the teens poked his head around the tallest to get a good look at him. “Resident d-doctor here in Auradon.”

Carlos didn’t say anything at first. His heart was racing since he was a little relieved to hear someone, an adult no less, speak the way he did. He was staring, jaw slightly agape, and gave the man another look over before he ducked back behind Jay.

“What d-do you…” He trailed off and shook his head, needing a breath before he tried again. “What do you do?”

The man gave a soft laugh at that. It wasn’t anything condescending, merely amusement toward being asked one of the most basic questions he possibly could have received.

“Stitch up wounds, make sure students are healthy,” He shrugged. “I’m also the one th-that gives vaccinations and decides if bones need mending.”

The teens wore identical looks of disinterest. Carlos gave a nod to show he was listening but kept quiet. The idea of seeing a doctor was terrifying - especially when he knew the Isle’s health-care was non-existent when compared to what Auradon had.

“What does bone mending entail?” Mal wrinkled her nose. The memory of having broken her wrist while running around the Isle came to mind. She was left with two pieces of wood with strings tied tightly around them to keep the damaged joint from being jostled around too much.

“We have a spell to mend things,” Merryweather replied. “Unless the student requests to have it heal the old fashioned way. If that’s the case, it’s a cast to keep the break protected until it heals.”

“You give students an option?” Mal scowled. “Wouldn’t magic be the easiest way to go about handling things?”

“We try not to use it,” The fairy shook her head. “Most of the families in the kingdom no longer use it. We don’t encourage or discourage it since it makes things less painful.”

“We can’t have students thinking a wave of a wand will solve all their problems,” Fairy Godmother added. “I’ve been trying to convince the school board to include a first aid course as a necessary class for the sake of allowing students to broaden their knowledge of the subject past what happens when they’re in here.”

Doc nodded when Fairy Godmother finished. He had gone as far as offering to teach students emergency techniques. The idea was met with mixed reactions since some of the adults didn’t think the students would need the information and others wanted their children prepared.

“I wish we had that choice back home.” Carlos gave a bitter chuckle, the words coming out in a mumble that was only loud enough to be heard by Jay.

“May I ask a question?” Evie looked up at Doc, teeth digging into the inside of her lip. The man nodded so she continued. “What happens if someone needs to stay?” The question was shorter than she intended but she couldn’t recall what they referred to needing to be observed as - it was far too much information for her to take in.

“Needs to stay?” Doc quirked a brow, looking to Merryweather before he realized what she was asking. “O-Oh. Yes. We have- Here I can show-” The dwarf took a few breaths to clear his mind and spoke again. “The infirmary. It’s separated by wards - being patients that need to be kept overnight and patients that need to be kept away from the others since they have contagious symptoms.”

Evie nodded even though she had no idea what he was talking about. Mal, Jay, and Carlos wore similar looks of confusion.

“The infirmary for overnights has a few beds with a nurse monitoring the students there. The same can be said for contagious cases - It’s just an expectation that the student avoids contact with other students until healthy again.” He paused to wrinkle his nose. “We can’t let the flu or other illnesses run wild.”

“Right,” Mal nodded. “Now what about physicals?”

“What about them?” Merryweather replied. Mal wrinkled her nose while she tried to come up with an explanation for what she was thinking.

“What do they involve?” Evie answered before Mal got the chance to say anything.

“Us making sure you are healthy,” Doc shrugged. “We would check your weight, height, vitals. Make sure you are caught up on vaccinations and do a mental wellness check as well.”

“Mental wellness?” Jay asked. “I’m fairly certain we’re all fine on that end of things.”

“Yes, well, Auradon focuses on making sure its students are physically and emotionally okay,” Fairy Godmother chimed in. “We have people to talk to if someone feels anxious or more down than usual.”

The tour ended with the boys agreeing to get their physicals done by the end of the week, having been able to schedule them for Thursday around the same time. The rest of the week was uneventful, minus Carlos begging Mal to find a spell that would cover up the scars his mother left on him.

It took several tries to find the correct spell. Mal found one that lasted until she took it off and was pleased to see she was strong enough to cast it successfully. It shrouded Carlos’s skin with nearly perfect skin that left him staring in the mirror. The bleach spot was gone and Mal reassured him the mark on the nape of his neck was gone. He had Jay check his back before the headed to the infirmary.

Carlos kept close to Jay once they got to the nurse’s office, expression unreadable when the fairy took their names and handed them a clipboard to write information down on.

“How honest should we—” Carlos trailed off since the woman was back again.

“Sorry,” She shook her head and straightened out the green shirt she wore. “Just making sure I gave a pen, dears.” Carlos nodded and Jay offered her a smile.

“You did, ma’am,” Jay answered. They were both quiet until she disappeared again. “I don’t know.”

“Previous injuries,” Carlos scoffed. “I have too many to fit onto three lines.” He went quiet again, promptly writing down broken fingers on his right hand since those were the least nasty of things earned from the Isle.

“What’d you write?” Jay whispered. Carlos offered the paper to him. One glance left Jay chuckling. “That’s all?”

“Mal covered the major things.” He shrugged. “The rest isn’t worth noting and I’m n-not… Not mentioning mum.” 

Flipping the page over earned a loud groan of ‘What the hell?’ from Carlos. There were questions about feeling down, sleep, and wanting to injure himself. It was a screening of some sort but he had never seen one like it before.

In the past two weeks, how often have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless? earned an answer of ‘several days’ since the time on the Isle always left him feeling down. The one on sleep involved his marking interrupted sleep since he couldn’t recall a time where he slept through the night. The one on self-harm proved to be the one he needed assistance with.

“Jay?” Carlos whispered and nudged the older teen. “What d-did you mark for the — The one about…”

“You weren’t raised on the Isle if you didn’t want to die at some point.” Jay forced out a chuckle. As morbid as it was, none of them had ever acted on any of the thoughts. They still occasionally played at the back of his mind - would his father care if he was gone? Would he be missed by the others? They were easily shoved aside when spending time with his peers, only ever coming back when alone with his intrusive thoughts.

“Some thoughts,” Jay added after a moment of silence. “Never acted on any of them but they were overwhelming last time dad kept me cooped up in the shop.”

“Me too.” Carlos sighed. He didn’t have anything to say on the matter since Jay was well aware the worst of the way his mother treated him occasionally left him wishing she took things too far.

The last section was an anxiety screening that didn’t explicitly say that was what the form was looking into. Jay’s was fairly straightforward except for his answering, yes to regularly worrying about past events from his life.

Carlos answered yes to everything on the form and was left feeling incredibly unconfident about it since he knew the others wouldn’t mark nearly as much of the ones that he had.

“I think I- I think I’m done.” Carlos whispered and flipped the packet back to the front, nose wrinkling since he left the age and birthdate section blank. His mother didn’t believe his birthday or his father were of any importance, opting to never tell him anything about the two. Attempts at getting information about them resulted in boxed ears and her getting dismissive.

“Me too.” Jay muttered then looked the papers over to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. The family history section was the one section he left blank. It had always been him and his father and from what he could tell, they didn’t have any of the illnesses that were listed.

“Carlos, we’re ready for you.” The fairy reappeared. “If you’ll follow me to room one.”

The teen didn’t move, shaking before he managed to get the words out. “C-C-Can Jay come with me?”

“We don’t allow students to be together—” She wasn’t given the chance to finish since Carlos shook his head and interrupted her.

“Then I’m not doing it.” He announced. The fairy considered her options for a moment then sighed.

“I can make an exception,” Fauna answered. “There’s enough space to get things done at the same time.”

Carlos didn’t move from the chair he sat in. Truthfully, he wanted nothing to do with the physical. Not going home over the winter holidays was the only thing that made him aware it needed to be done.

“Okay.” He sighed after a prolonged moment of silence. He stood up and Jay followed after, the two stopping short when the nurse paused in the middle of the hallway.

“I’m going to begin by taking your height and weight,” Fauna murmured. “If I could have one of you step onto the scale?”

Jay gave Carlos a sideways glance and took a step forward, staring at the square-shaped scale at his feet. He eyed Fauna out of the corner of his eye then stood on it, looking down at the thing that displayed numbers on it. The number 110 appeared and he stepped off. The nurse noted it down and didn’t say anything.

“What does that mean?” Jay asked once the number disappeared. They didn’t even need to worry about scales on the Isle. They were either broken or uneven so the weight was never correct.

“Can I have you stand against the wall?” Fauna spoke then offered a shrug of her shoulders. “Height and weight - just making sure you’re at a healthy spot for the two. Issues involving one or both usually point to a bigger issue.”

“Oh,” Jay nodded then pressed his back against the line on the wall, standing up as straight as he could. “So how tall am I then? They don’t track that sort of stuff back home.”

“Five foot nine,” The fairy announced. Jay chuckled then nudged Carlos, whispering ‘okay, your turn,’ before taking a step back into the hallway.

Carlos took a steadying breath and stepped onto the scale, expecting the number to be low since it was obvious he was shorter and smaller than his peers. The number 94 popped up and his features went red. He had read enough to know he should have at least been in the 100’s to be considered healthy.

His height didn’t come as much of a surprise. Five feet, three inches. He had the rotten luck of knowing he was shorter than Evie and Mal. Carlos didn’t say anything once done. He held his breath since he was expecting the fairy to chastise him for his size.

Much to his surprise, she took note of everything and offered him and Jay a small smile.

“Next will be vision and hearing. We’ll have to go into the exam room to get those done,” She kept her voice soft in the hope of not spooking either of the overly quiet teens. “This way please.”

They arrived in a room with two chairs and an exam table. The boys took the chairs and wouldn’t look her in the eye. Vision testing went well, with Fauna surprised to note the two had perfect eyesight. Hearing proved to be a little different.

Jay positively answered the questions she gave about his hearing. Carlos got quiet when it came to talking about his right ear. He curled into himself when she asked if he had any concerns about it.

“Hurts,” He admitted with a shrug. The word was a mumble since he couldn’t bring himself to giving a lot of detail. “Some… Sometimes I can hear— Hear ringing. J-Jay said he didn’t hear it last time I asked.”

“What sort of ringing?” Fauna asked, earning a worried sideways glance from the teen.

“It- sort of just… keeps going,” Carlos whimpered. “Sometimes it stops when stuff comes out b-but… It was bloody last time.”

“It’s not the first time this happened either,” Jay added when Carlos appeared to be done talking. “The ringing is new though. He mentioned things sounding muffled too.”

“Did anything happen to cause it?” Fauna looked at Carlos, hoping to coax a few more words out of him. The boys exchanged a look then quickly shook their heads.

“No ma’am.” Carlos whispered. There was something about his posture that made her try pressing for more information.

“No accidental blows to the head or anything?” She questioned. Carlos pressed his tongue against his cheek.

“It g-got boxed be-before I left h-home.” He mumbled. It wasn’t a lie but it wasn’t the whole truth either. Better to give short answers than delve deeper into his home life.

“Boxed?” The fairy raised an eyebrow. It was a form of punishment that had gone out of style in Auradon and the surrounding areas. She hadn’t heard it get brought up since Aurora was being raised.

“Yeah,” He nodded. “Boxed.” Carlos mimed the hand motion his mother usually reserved for going after his ears. 

“Okay,” Fauna wrote a note down on his paper. “We may need to get a closer look at that. Especially if you’re saying you have blood coming out of it.”

“It’s fine,” Carlos shook his head, voice coming out louder than he had spoken before to the fairy. “I’ll be fine. It’s happened before.” He didn’t need the adults worrying about him. The ear was the least of his concerns.

“What’s next?” Jay asked before either of them said anything else. “Or are we done here?”

“Oh no,” Fauna shook her head. “We still need to go over a few other things. A quick look at your ears, nose, eyes, and throat to make sure there are no infections. Tapping on a few joints to make sure your reflexes are okay, and making sure there isn’t a curve to your spine to end things.”

“And then we find out if we can play?” Jay crossed his arms over his chest. They had only missed one practice so far but he didn’t want to miss any others.

“The doctor will need to look them over, then we will have an answer before you go to leave.” Her answer earned a nod from the two and their complying until the doctor came in.

Doc’s arrival caused the two to shift closer together. Carlos leaned against Jay and tapped his foot against the ground in an attempt at getting rid of the wave of anxiety that was trying to take over. Jay’s teeth dug into his lower lip to keep from saying anything. He desperately wanted to know if he would be able to play but didn’t want to seem too eager about it.

“Good afternoon boys,” Doc greeted them. His eyebrows furrowed together when they nodded at him in reply. “I was able to look over your physicals.” He made sure to keep his voice even. The news was a mix of good and bad since things didn’t exactly match up with Auradon’s health standards.

“Can I play?” Jay risked looking him in the eye. There was a beat of silence then Doc sighed.

“N-Not exactly,” He said. Jay’s expression faltered. “I’m going to need to run a few labs to see if things match up. You are b-both underweight. I would need you to put a few pounds on before I can let you play in one of the games. I’m willing to permit you to join in on practices.”

“What about me?” Carlos whispered, gaze focused on his sneakers.

“It seems only fair to allow you to join in once your ear heals up,” Doc answered. Carlos looked surprised at hearing that.

“I’m sorry — D-Did you just…” He took a breath then took a chance at looking at the doctor. “P-Practice?”

“Yes,” Doc nodded twice. “Same thing as Jay with needing a little more weight on you before you can properly play.”

“Th-Thanks?” Carlos gave a small smile. It certainly wasn’t the answer he was expecting.

“I plan to place a referral in for the counseling office for the two of you.” Doc added after a moment of silence. The boys’ mental health surveys were incredibly concerning.

“No thank you,” Jay quickly shook his head. Carlos cast him a look of concern. “We don’t need that. We’ve been doing just fine without having someone decide we need to talk about our feelings.”

“Your scores on the screening require a consultation,” The dwarf frowned. “Unfortunately I may need to make going to it a requirement if it means getting you to consider it.”

“A requirement for what?” Jay narrowed his eyes at Doc. His nostrils flared when he deepened the glare. The doctor didn’t shrink back, meeting his eyes with a slight frown of his own.

“For playing on the team.” He would have said more but was interrupted by Jay giving a loud groan.

“You can’t do that,” There was a beat of silence then he looked at Fauna. “He can’t do that. That’s—” He deflated when his outburst earned a shake of the fairy’s head. “This is fucking stupid.”

“I don’t know,” Carlos shrugged. He nudged Jay with his elbow until he looked at him. “It may prove to be helpful.”


	13. Familial Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fairy Godmother and Doc meet, Ben gets the nerve to ask a purple-haired teen out, the VK's video call their parents, and more.

Fauna paced the length of the hallway that separated the patient rooms from the staff side of things, waiting for Doc to be done with checking in on the few students that needed to stay the evening. The plan was going over the boys’ physicals with Fairy Godmother and giving news of the semi-clearance for the two to practice. She felt far more anxious than she had been in a while, thoughts mostly focused around the fact that the two may not have been overly truthful in answering things.

Carlos was far too skittish for broken fingers and his mother occasionally boxing his ears to have been the only issue he faced on the Isle. Jay seemed better off than the younger teen but there was no denying the two were underweight and likely lacking the proteins that helped in keeping them strong and healthy.

“I should have done a full screening.” She muttered under her breath, jumping when her thought was answered by Doc.

“Should have done what?” The doctor slung his stethoscope around his neck. “She is in my office by the way.”

“A full screening,” Fauna sighed. “I refrained from waving a wand and getting a full-blown medical history from the last twenty-four months.”

“We need to build their trust before we can do that,” Doc shook his head. “Grumpy said - The prince is… They are already looking into building up- Making a case for the Isle and the way the tr-transfer students…” He trailed off and opened the door to his office, relieved to see there were enough plush chairs for everyone to sit on.

“Good afternoon,” Fauna forced a small smile and tried to seem more relaxed about what they needed to go over. Fairy Godmother offered her a smile in return.

“Good afternoon,” She nodded. “Thank you for getting Jay and Carlos’s physicals done in a timely fashion. Your timing couldn’t be more integral.”

“Why is that?” Doc raised an eyebrow at her. He had the clipboard with their paperwork in his hands, absentmindedly drumming his fingers against the sides of it.

“The King and Queen have decided on allowing them to video call their parents during tomorrow’s class,” She deadpanned. The idea wasn’t one the headmistress was ready to follow through on - especially upon finding out they intended to have all four parents and their children in the same call.

“That doesn’t sound like a good idea,” Fauna admitted with a shake of her head. “We didn’t get an in-depth look at things since we want to gain their trust before I go about doing a full-blown examination into their medical history.”

“Believe me,” Fairy Godmother grimaced, looking down at her lap for a moment before gazing back up at Fauna. “I tried to tell them that. They also decided to invite them to breakfast with their sponsors Saturday morning.” She paused to wrinkle her nose and force a less stressed looking expression. “What did you find?”

“Carlos reported having broken several fingers as a recent injury. They appear to have healed properly,” The fairy sighed. “Also mentioned ear pain and blood draining from it. Said he got his ear boxed and it wasn’t the first time.”

“Auradon has had that form of punishment outlawed since it can cause deafness,” Doc shook his head. “I’m going to need to set up an appointment to make sure permanent damage hasn’t been done.”

“Jay made it sound like the incident was something that happened regularly - Not to mention Carlos claiming he’s fine and that it’s happened before. He mimed the hand motion for it almost perfectly,” Fauna frowned. “I have reason to believe they are hiding something. There were no visible scars or welts when I checked their spines. Carlos’s skin was flawless while Jay had a few acne marks. I expected to see a few blemishes on Carlos and think they may have found a way of shielding any major damage.”

“Noted,” Fairy Godmother pressed her lips together to suppress a frown. “And the mental health section?”

Doc and Fauna exchanged a glance. The two didn’t look happy when Doc offered the screenings to Fairy Godmother.

“See for yourself,” He whispered. “They didn’t take kindly to my deciding meeting with a counselor was a prerequisite for being able to participate in the Tourney games.”

Fairy Godmother paled while looking over the paperwork. The concerns about their weight were nothing new but seeing they were truly underweight left her stomach in knots. She couldn’t help but wonder if the maltreatment was on just the King or a combination of him and the Queen.

“They will not reconsider the call with their parents,” She pressed her thumb and index finger against the bridge of her nose. “Not until we have an overview of all four of them or one of them lets slip something that is truly concerning.

“Boxed ears isn’t something of concern?” Fauna hissed out through gritted teeth. “Especially where we have reason to believe a parent is the one behind it?”

“I was told he may be being dramatic and to keep an eye for anything else out of place,” Fairy Godmother shook her head. “We’ve been documenting everything between outbursts in class to comments offhandedly made to their classmates. The prince is set on proving things on the Isle aren’t as his parents are making them seem.”

“It shouldn’t fall on the Prince to come to that conclusion.” Fauna murmured. Her words were accompanied by Doc shaking his head and giving a sad sigh.

“He’s bringing it to light,” He muttered. “That’s more than anyone older than him has done. N-Not to mention his successfully bringing a few of the children here. Snow is one of the ones b-backing the change of treatment of the kids”

“What other help can we give?” Fauna ran both hands through her hair, hoping that would be enough to quell the anger that was forming in the back of her mind.

“Patience and reporting anything off-kilter to me immediately. The board is ready to push for a full investigation. The more proof that we have, the better.” Fairy Godmother took a steadying breath since her emotions were threatening to take over. “That will be all for this evening. Please let me know how the counseling session goes. We’ll keep to the usual of not pulling files unless suicide, self-harm, or abuse pops up.”

Pacing the classroom was not a mode of transportation Fairy Godmother usually opted for. Unfortunately, her stress levels were through the roof in regards to needing to surprise the transfer students with a phone call from home. She would have asked Ben to give a warning but he had the task of helping to prepare for Family Weekend.

The four arrived in the classroom with their usual quiet. There was a little bit of whispering that she paid no mind to since they were in a few minutes before the bell would go off. A quick look over the four made her feel worse. They seemed happy and she had a bad feeling that happiness would be gone the moment she announced the lesson plan for the day.

The bell went off and the four sat up straight, looking expectantly at the teacher. She noted Carlos’s habit of tapping his foot against the ground and the dog that was seated under his desk.

“We have a different plan for class today.” She announced then gestured at the television and laptop that were set up. She was met with four looks of confusion and continued before any of the teens spoke up. 

“Auradon decided it is best to let you see your parents since Family Weekend is this weekend and your parents are unable to visit because of…” She paused to look for the right word. “Distance reasons. They appear to be pushing for you to feel as ‘normal’ as possible. The board also expressed an interest in having brunch with you tomorrow morning. I said I would run the idea by you and give the information, but I am not one for forcing students to do things they would rather not.”

Mal and Evie exchanged an anxious glance when she finished speaking. Carlos shifted his chair so he was closer to Jay. The older teen took a deep breath then grabbed hold of Carlos’ hand.

“We appreciate your giving a heads up instead of tossing them at us,” Jay announced. The words caused Carlos to squeeze his fingers. “Is there a way of recording the call in case things don’t go well?”

“I can find out,” Carlos shook his head at the question, earning confused looks from Jay and the others. “Shouldn’t be that hard to get something running.” He released Jay’s hand and approached the computer, opening the settings and giving a low chuckle once he found what he was looking for. “Got it.”

“Perfect,” Jay sighed then faced the others, slowly meeting Evie and Mal’s eyes. “Are we ready for this?”

“Yes,” The girls said at the same time and approached the computer. Everyone was looking at Carlos since he was the one with the most problematic parent.

“I think so.” Carlos whispered and called for Dude, picking him up when he was at his feet. He positioned himself behind Evie with Jay close enough that he could grasp his hand if it came down to needing to hold onto it.

“You are certain?” Fairy Godmother asked and opened up the window for the video call.

“Yes ma’am,” Carlos was pale but he still managed to keep his composure under control. “Ready as I c-can be.’

“Yes.” Jay and Evie nodded. Mal grimaced then gave a nod. The call sprung to life and they could hear Maleficent on the other end. She and Jafar were bickering about how to turn the camera on.

“Pop, click the camera button.” Jay chuckled.

There was a “huh? Oh!” from his father then the black screen went away and revealed their parents. Jafar and Maleficent appeared to be the biggest since they were close to the screen to get the camera to work. The two wrinkled their noses then settled back into the chairs they set up in Bargain Castle.

“Mal.” Maleficent exhaled. Mal looked briefly alarmed and quickly replaced the expression with a forced smile. The other parents called their child’s name and earned an awkward wave from them.

“Mother,” She whispered. Goosebumps appeared along her arms and her breathing was a little rough. Seeing her mother shouldn’t have been a surprise but it caused fear to pound its way into her chest. Mal couldn’t allow it to win though since she was meant to be the leader. “So nice to see you.”

“I m-m-miss you,” Maleficent’s way of tripping over her words caused Carlos to tilt his head. No one scolded her or boxed her ears in for it. His mother hadn’t even flinched at it.

“I miss you too,” Mal tried to maintain a calm expression. Thankfully, the attention shifted from her to Evie.

“Evie, my little one,” Evil Queen crooned without giving Maleficent a chance to say anything else. Evie’s head shot up. She gave the most genuine smile of her, Mal, Jay, and Carlos. “When will I get to see you again in person?”

The adults all shifted, expressions seeming curious but there was no hiding the calculated looks behind them.

“Not for another month or so?” Evie shrugged. “Family Weekend is this week. Then there’s some downtime until Ben’s coronation.”

“Coronation?” Maleficent scoffed. Evie gave another shrug in reply then winced softly when Mal elbowed her.

“Coronation,” She repeated. “The whole kingdom is invited. We are planning to see if we can get extra close to soak up the prince’s goodness.”

“That’s my clever little girl,” Evil Queen smiled at her. “Glad to see the Auradon air didn’t ruin your pores.”

“Me too. You wouldn’t believe the skincare products they have,” Evie nodded. “I should see if I can send you—”

“Enough,” Maleficent snapped. “Tell me more about the wa-wa-wonderful classes you are taking.”

“They’ll be done in December,” Mal answered. “We’re hoping to be able to see you before then.” The answer was good enough to keep Maleficent from further interrogating her. There was a beat of silence then Cruella stood up from her chair and approached the camera.

“Carlos?” Cruella snapped and leaned into the camera. Her eyes were wide and served as the only thing on the screen for a moment.

Her son stood still, face paling in color while he desperately tried to gain the nerve to lift his head. Jay gave his shoulder a light squeeze. Carlos slowly brought his head up, eyebrows furrowing together. She wasn’t even there and still managed to make him feel small.

“Momma.” Carlos dug his teeth into his lower lip, gaze dropping after looking into the camera for several seconds.

“Is that a dog?” The question came out in a yell that made Carlos shake. He clenched his jaw and quickly counted backward from ten.

“So what if it is?” He spat out once he got to one. His shaking was mostly under control since he was channeling more anger than fear.

“I want it,” Cruella shrugged. “It’s the perfect size for earmuffs. Doesn’t have your spots but will do good enough.”

Carlos’s features flushed bright red and a growl escaped. The grip he had around Dude tightened slightly then he took a steadying breath.

“He’s the perfect size for a pet,” He scoffed, nostrils flaring when he continued. “And your dog is stuffed so I sincerely doubt you know anything about caring for one.”

“The runt gained a backbone,” Jafar exclaimed. The use of runt earned a groan from Jay.

“Carlos is his name.” Jay glowered at the camera. Cruella spoke up at the same time.

“Just wait until you get back here, Carlos, stupid piece of shi—” The call dropped before she was able to go on a full swearing rant. 

The monitor shut off after that and Jay took a step away from it, having successfully ended the call and recording without any help. He tugged Carlos close to him since he was quiet and trembling.

“We’re safe,” He whispered then leaned down to kiss Carlos’s forehead. The action usually earned complaints from the younger teen but Carlos accepted it. He offered Jay a weak smile and put Dude down, shifting so he was glued against Jay’s side.

“She can’t get you here,” Jay muttered then looked at Fairy Godmother. The headmistress hadn’t said anything and was still looking at the computer monitor. Her face paled once she looked at the group of kids.

“I’m so sorry.” Fairy Godmother frowned. She hadn’t expected it to go well and was regretting not having further vouched to exclude Cruella from the call.

“No need to apologize,” Jay shook his head. The other three mumbled thank you’s and grabbed their bags, quietly leaving the classroom. “If anything, I should apologize for our parents’ behavior. They’ve never been team players or been all that good at showing affection.”

Jay slung his bag over his shoulder and left, quickly catching up with his friends. He looked alarmed when Carlos took hold of his hand.

“What do you think will happen if we don’t get the wand and we don’t go back?” He whimpered.

“I think my mom will be a little disappointed,” Mal shrugged and forced a smile. “But she may be understanding if we show up emptyhanded.”

“Nah,” Jay sighed and rolled his eyes, tracing a small circle along the back of Carlos’s hand with his thumb. “We’re totally fucked unless we get the King and Queen to take pity on us.”

“What now, Mal?” Carlos winced and squeezed Jay’s fingers. The whole idea of getting the wand was terrifying since he wasn’t sure he wanted to assist with it.

“We have three weeks before Ben’s coronation,” She murmured. “That’s enough time to come up with a plan. Either my wooing the prince to undermine him from the inside, or our coming up with something that will get the King and Queen to realize they left us with nothing.”

“I don’t like the sound of either option,” Evie grumbled. “But if it’s necessary for not getting destroyed by our parents, I’ll be here to do whatever it takes.”

“Me too.” Jay nodded then turned to Carlos, an eyebrow rising was his only attempt at gauging where he stood with things.

“Me too,” Carlos whispered. “Now let’s go make sure we look presentable for tomorrow since Jay and I are benched for tonight’s game.”

“Still expected to show up in uniform,” Jay rolled his eyes. “But not allowed to play until Doc gives the okay. It’s not right.”

Ben was in Audrey’s room the hour before the game, seeming overly anxious while she and Jane gushed about their plans for the weekend. The two were cuddled up on her bed whispering.

It wasn’t an unusual occurrence for the two girls to be overly close together. Granted, Audrey mentioning she didn’t like men had come as a bit of a shock but Ben quickly got over it, agreeing to pretend to be with her for the sake of not breaking her grandmother’s heart. Pretending to be a couple had gone well until he discovered feelings for the purple-haired transfer student from the Isle of the Lost.

“Audrey?” Ben asked when there was a moment of silence between her and Jane. Audrey looked up. Noting the worried expression he wore caused her to squeeze Jane’s hand and release it then cross the room to where Ben was standing.

“Darling, what’s the matter?” The pet-name, along with several others, was one she had been using on him far too long to stop. “You look stressed.”

“I’ve been thinking.” He sighed. The statement earned identical looks of concern from Jane and Audrey.

“A dangerous past time.” Audrey worried her lip. Having no clue what the thought was about was enough to leave her feeling a little anxious about whatever came next.

“I know,” Ben groaned and ran both hands through his hair, switching to massaging his temple in an attempt at remaining calm about the thought that had been plaguing him since having the dream that first involved Mal. “I- I think I may ask Mal out after the game tonight.”

Jane made a squeak then kept quiet after that. Audrey gave him a calculated gaze, searching for any signs that he was joking. Upon spotting none, she made a clicking noise with her tongue and shrugged her shoulders.

“Is Chad seeing anyone?” Audrey cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowing when Ben shook his head. “Does he know about-” Ben cut her off before she could continue the question.

“No, and I highly suggest you let him know sooner rather than later,” He mumbled. “You know he’ll blame me if you don’t.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Audrey muttered then cast a glance in Jane’s direction. “How dramatic can I get? I’m leaning toward announcing to everyone present that he’s my boyfriend.”

“Are you sure we can trust Chad?” Jane spoke up, voice shaking slightly when she spoke. Her mother wouldn’t care who she was with and had stated that several times. Her real concern was Chad slipping up and outing her and Audrey to everyone else before they were ready.

“As long as Audrey is stern and sets boundaries on what he can and can’t say,” Ben shrugged. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to.” There was a beat of silence then he gave a nervous chuckle. “Your stern voice can be terrifying at times.”

“Excellent,” Audrey beamed at Ben then walked back over to where Jane sat. “Let me get through Family Weekend with nana then we can come out with things.” She wrapped an arm around Jane and rested her head against her shoulder. “You know how she gets when I don’t behave the way a princess should.”

The two rolled their eyes then turned to Ben. He was half-dressed for the game and lacking his sneakers.

“Don’t you have a Tourney game to get ready for?” Audrey poked her tongue out when Ben gave her a shocked look. He nodded then slipped his shirt off, swapping it with his jersey. “My sneakers are in my locker room locker so I’ll see you on the field.”

Jay and Carlos were given the option of sitting on the bench with the team or joining their friends in the bleachers for the evening. A quick talk with the assistant coach left them grateful their jerseys weren’t required if they picked the bleachers. There was a man doing commentary for the whole game and neither of them wanted to be singled out for sitting on the bench and not playing.

The two were sat in between Mal and Evie with their arms crossed over their chests. It didn’t really matter much to Carlos but he could tell Jay was silently seething beside him. He knew Jay just wanted to play and while that wasn’t necessarily an issue, they had different ideas toward the one therapy appointment Doc wanted them to go to.

“And Auradon wins!” The commentator announced at the sound of the buzzer. The cheer team did their victory performance while he went on about the best plays of the game. Ben approached the microphone and took it from the man, tapping the top of it to get everyone’s attention.

“Excuse me,” He announced when the spectators continued to chat among themselves. A hush of silence fell over the stands. “I have a very important announcement to make.” He set the mic down on the stand then took a step back and threw his arms up over his head to form a letter M.

“Give me an M,” He shouted. The crowd did as he said. “Now an A and an L. What’s that spell?” His classmates shouted Mal.

Mal cast Evie a confused look, her expression unfaltering once she looked to Jay and Carlos to make sure she wasn’t hearing things.

“What in Hades…” She mumbled and looked down at her lap, feeling her cheeks go bright red from the attention that was on her.

“Mal,” Ben picked the mic back up from the stand and walked toward where she sat in the stands. Audrey gave an annoying shriek and went running to where Chad stood, dramatically flinging herself into his arms once his attention was on her.

“I’ve been thinking about this since we first started talking,” His words earned a muttered ‘oh no,’ from Mal and her leaning heavily against Jay. Thankfully, Jay didn’t shove her away. He did glance down at her and was alarmed to see she had a nervous expression upon her features.

“Hey, you’re alright. I don’t know what he’s doing but I’ve got your back. Always will.” Jay whispered then narrowed his eyes at the prince. Mal relaxed slightly against him and kept quiet.

“Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?” Another painful shriek from Audrey followed by her kissing Chad on the cheek and announcing that she was his girlfriend. One of the fans in the stand took the mic from Ben and passed it up to where Mal sat. All eyes were on her.

Jay gave her a reassuring squeeze, gaze still focused on Ben. He could have been doing it as a joke but there was nothing in his posture that said it would turn Mal, himself, and the other villain kids into a comedy act.

Mal was handed the mic and she gulped, eyes wide once she looked into Ben’s. He seemed hopeful and the spiteful side of her was ready to turn him down. Her mother wanted the wand though and this had been part of her plan, albeit not so soon and with the aid of a love potion, so the most sensible thing to do would be saying yes. She sat up straight and glanced at Evie.

The teen gave an encouraging nod then Mal took a steadying breath, forcing herself to nod twice before she found her voice. “Yes, of course.”

Everyone cheered and Ben climbed up the bleachers so he was standing in front of her. He turned the mic off and offered her a small smile.

“You’ve just made my year.” He announced then cautiously reached out for her hand. Mal steeled herself and took his hand in hers, trying not to seem overly nervous.

“You’re welcome, I guess,” She shrugged. “Now where’s the part where you say ‘just kidding’ and laugh in my face?”

Ben looked her over then slowly shook his head. He squeezed her hand then released it, opting to gently grab her by the chin instead. “I don’t joke about that sort of stuff.”

She nodded at that then Ben was called back down to the team. Mal was unaware that she was holding her breath the whole time his fingers were beneath her chin. Her face was pale when she turned toward Jay and she mouthed ‘what the fuck did I just get myself into?’ at him.

The evening was uneventful minus Mal’s fretting over what happened. Her musings were met by a doting Evie and a semi-annoyed looking Carlos and Jay.

“What am I supposed to do if he wants to introduce me to his parents?” Mal bemoaned. Evie’s eyebrows furrowed together and Jay beat her to talking.

“Uh, we already are meeting his parents,” Jay grimaced. “The breakfast tomorrow, remember?”

“Fairy Godmother said that it’s optional.” Evie reminded him with a shake of her head.

“Yeah, well, we probably should since it’s the people that are giving us an allowance.” He groaned. There was a beat of silence where the girls exchanged a glance then Mal groaned as well.

“Right, right,” She winced. “How could I have forgotten? E would you say tomorrow’s clothes are appropriate for breakfast and whatever the day holds?”

“No,” Evie sighed. “But it’s not like we have any other options. I wish Fairy Godmother had mentioned the breakfast earlier. I could have made separate outfits for tomorrow.”

“D-Don’t worry about it,” Carlos murmured. “That’s- It’s - Clothes aren’t the most important thing for tomorrow. W-We need to make a good impression.”

“I hate to say it, but he’s right,” Jay grumbled. “Meeting benefactors and having to put on a good face for the King and Queen. What do you think they’ll do if we end up badmouthing the Isle?”

“What?” Mal wrinkled her nose in confusion. Jay shook his head then continued his thought.

“You know. They’re probably expecting us to say how grateful we are for their generosity. Blah blah,” He paused to roll his eyes. “Suppose we used it as an excuse to shed a little light on how we were raised. Mention how nice it is to have fresh fruit and non-canned goods. School actually teaches useful information - the works.”

“So you’re saying embellish what we’ve been letting slip to the students?” Mal furrowed her eyebrows together in thought. “I don’t appreciate our odds with this one. Sounds like it could earn more support or get us sent home.”

“They can’t send us home in front of the people that are supporting our being here,” Jay held a hand up when Mal went to interrupt him. “It won’t look good if they try to. Plus, if Ben’s there it will come across as not supporting the future king.”

“How much thought have you put into this?” Mal scoffed. Admittedly, she was rather impressed with him. She was far too used to being the one that came up with the action plan and her pride kept her from complimenting her.

“More than I care to admit,” He shrugged then readjusted his beanie. “It’s nice here — way nicer than home but I’m willing to bet the adults are gullible enough to get mad at the royals for not treating us properly.”

“Not treating us properly?” Evie tilted her head at Jay’s wording. They were only a few weeks in and Auradon had already exceeded her expectations.

“The food. Actually caring about their children’s health.” Jay shrugged.

“B-B-Ben looking shocked when M-Mal said we d-don’t get a lot of food,” Carlos added in a whisper. “The health screenings.”

“That’s fucking brilliant,” Mal cast a sideways glance in Jay’s direction. “Let’s hope the prince joins his parents tomorrow morning.”

“He probably will,” Evie rolled her eyes. “We’ve all seen how often they reference their parents. I think it’s safe to assume the parents are just as proud of their kids as the kids are of them.”

“Certainly prouder than ours will ever be of us.” Mal shook her head.

“Must be nice to have parents that give a shit about you.” Jay gave a bitter chuckle.

“And having both of them in the picture,” Evie added then gasped and rapidly shook her head. “You don’t think the rumors are true, do you?”

“W-W-What rumors?” Carlos didn’t bother with trying to hide his confusion. Mal and Evie laughed softly then looked at Jay.

“You innocent little thing,” The blue-haired teen shook her head. “Cover your ears.”

“What?” Carlos crossed his arms over his chest. “N-No way. I want to know.”

“Don’t say we didn’t warn you.” Jay poked his tongue out at him. Carlos narrowed his eyes at Jay, expression softening once he looked at Evie.

“The ones about Auradon paying well for sperm donors as a way of thinning out the evil bloodline.” Evie shrugged. Carlos gave an annoyed look when she finished speaking.

“That’s it?” He asked. “You kn-know mum’s always called me worthless like my father.” That was the only bit of information he had about the man and Cruella was set on keeping things that way.

“Yeah, and it wouldn’t explain me,” Jay added. Jafar didn’t like questions about his mother. He had a theory it had something to do with his father having had feelings for her. “Unless they got the women in on it too.”

“Let’s hope they didn’t,” Mal shook her head. “It would be pretty messed up since Auradon’s blood should have meant our having the right to grow up here.”

“Yeah, well it isn’t going to change how we were raised.” Evie frowned.

“And it certainly won’t change how pissed the parent that cares for us will be if we don’t get the wand.” Mal grumbled.

“We don’t need to worry about some rumor that was spread by the Hook siblings.” Jay reminded the others.

“Yeah,” Carlos nodded. “We have enough to worry about as it is without our parents. The br-breakfast.”

“Shit,” Mal pinched the bridge of her nose. “Breakfast. We need to sleep tonight if we plan to make it through tomorrow with no issues.”


	14. Be Our Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast with the royals takes an unexpected turn.

Mal and Evie looked over each other before breakfast with the boys and several adults they probably wouldn’t have interacted with if Fairy Godmother hadn’t politely suggested they attend. It wasn’t even a suggestion - more of the teacher throwing the idea out in the open and saying attending wasn’t a requirement if they didn’t want to.

Reading between the lines left Mal assuming there would be several outcomes. The first was the royals assuming they would disregard their message and not show up. If that was right, their arrival would serve as a surprise. If they thought they would take the offer, it was likely with the expectation that they would behave poorly. Regardless of the alternative, she was still anxious about needing to deal with people that may have known her or her group’s parents.

Evie deemed their outfits appropriate then the two went off to find the boys. They were surprised to almost walk into Jay on the opposite side of their door. The girls took a step back and Evie gave each boy a calculated look.

“Jay, pass me your tie,” She clicked her tongue. “Or better yet, stoop down so I can fix it for you.”

“I’ll never understand why you gave me one when you know I don’t know how to—” He trailed off when she neatly tied it, head tilting in confusion. “Okay, that’s not fair that you can and I can’t.”

“Mom added it into princess training,” Evie rolled her eyes. “She always had a feeling the princes out here wouldn’t know how to do it themselves.”

“Pop referred to it as a waste of fabric,” Jay chuckled. “It’s not part of Agrabah’s traditional clothes. Not that I have much of an idea toward what that looks like anyway but still.”

“I’ll see if I can come up with something closer to your roots for the next event if you want.” Evie shrugged.

“Nah,” Jay shook his head. “I’m not all that attached to them since we didn’t have a lot of info on the Isle.”

“Looks good,” Evie tugged at his tie then took a step back. She then turned to Carlos, head tilting while she looked him over.

“Los, your shoes,” She sighed. Carlos glanced down then paled, shoulders rising in acknowledgment of what she said. “You never touched the pair Ben gave you?”

“N-N-No,” Carlos stammered. “I shouldn’t. They’re not... Mum wouldn’t want me...” Evie held her hand up to stop him from rambling.

“She’s not here,” Evie shook her head. “How many times are we going to need to reassure you of that?” Her expression faltered when Carlos shrunk into himself and didn’t answer.

The clothes were one thing since he was used to Evie coming up with outfits for him. His shoes were the only things that were truly ever his back home.

“I d-don’t need the new ones,” He grumbled and looked down at his feet. Evie gave an exasperated sigh.

“They’re going to be offended you don’t have a new pair on,” She muttered. “Ben had to specifically request to get new ones for us and ones sent to the Isle. I’m certain they know about that.”

Carlos’s eyebrows furrowed together while he thought things over. There was a beat of silence then he muttered ‘fine,’ and ran back to the dorm to switch into the new pair.

His arrival back to the girls’ dorm was marked by his looking down at his feet and making a face.

“They feel weird,” He complained. Mal and Evie gave a soft laugh at that. “There’s some - I don’t know but the middle... I don’t...”

“You’ll get used to it,” Mal rolled her eyes. “Plus we’ll be seated for breakfast so it shouldn’t be much of a bother.”

Carlos muttered something under his breath then stepped behind Mal and Jay. The two exchanged a look then took off in the direction that the breakfast was being held in.

The banquet proved to be overwhelming well before the teens set foot through the doors that lead to it. They showed up a little early in the hope of being able to get a space to themselves away from the rest. The entrance to the room was shut and several adults were milling about outside of it.

Mal stopped halfway down the hallway. The hair on the back of her neck stood upright when she spotted a group of unfamiliar adults happily talking to each other. She tossed her arm up to stop Jay and Evie from going any further. The two stopped short and Carlos nearly tripped over Jay. Thankfully, neither boy made a production out of it.

“We’ll wait here,” Mal breathed out in a whisper. There was no Ben, no Jane, and no Fairy Godmother. None of them would have been her first choice in someone to latch onto but one familiar face was better than none.

The four teens stood close together, cautiously eyeing the adults from their space away from them. They had yet to draw attention to themselves and intended to keep things that way until the last moment.

There was a couple with blonde and brunette hair that was happily talking with Aladdin and Jasmine. The latter couple was easily recognizable since the few tv stations they got occasionally threw on programs about the royal families that weren’t connected to Belle or her beast.

Another glimpse down the hall revealed a kind-looking woman with short brown hair chatting with a blonde-haired woman in a pink gown.

Mal and Evie exchanged an uneasy glance when the brown-haired woman’s gaze met theirs. They sucked in a sharp breath then stood behind Jay and Carlos, gazes immediately falling to their feet.

“You don’t think...” Jay muttered then shook his head. “No, they couldn’t have. But that doesn’t explain— Fairy Godmother said benefactors, right?”

“Uh-huh,” Mal whispered and chanced another glance in the adults’ direction. “I just wish she’d mentioned which ones since I’m regretting having agreed to come to this at all.”

The door to the banquet hall opened and Mal was relieved to see Ben appear. He greeted the adults and allowed them to enter before approaching the group of teens that looked like they wanted nothing to do with being there.

“You made it,” He sighed in relief, eyebrows furrowing together when the four didn’t say anything. “I have you split between a table with Jane and a table with Aziz.”

“Why are they here?” Jay wrinkled his nose. News of a familiar face was a relief but he didn’t like either of the two enough to converse with them.

“Uh, I’ll let Aziz explain that to you,” Ben ran his hand through his hair. “They’re waiting so we better head in.” His words were met by the four shaking their heads and tossing cautious glances in Ben and the room’s direction.

“Did any of you happen to think it was a good idea to let us know the benefactors were people our parents wronged?” Mal narrowed her eyes at Ben. The prince gave a sheepish look and didn’t say anything.

“Wait, what?” Carlos’s eyes widened. “B-But there aren’t any dogs. Mum n-never said anything about p-people.” He grimaced and leaned into Jay, gripping onto his hand in an attempt to calm his nerves.

“Most of our parents neglected to mention key pieces of their history,” Mal rolled her eyes. She looked her group over then stood up straighter. “We’ll go in but it isn’t on us if we don’t impress them.”

“Fair enough,” Ben nodded. There was no use arguing since the breakfast was announced as a surprise toward the end of the week. If anything, he was shocked the teens had taken the optional part of it meaning they should show up. “Can I take your hand, Mal?”

Mal’s nostrils flared and she clenched her jaw, needing a steadying breath to keep from snapping at Ben. Another breath then she shook her head.

“I don’t do public displays of affection,” She didn’t do dates as it was but Ben didn’t need to know he was the first person to properly ask her out. “There aren’t cameras, are there?”

“No,” Ben shook his head and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I made sure of that. Mum wanted them but I said we don’t need to broadcast this one.”

“Good,” Mal glowered then took a step closer to Ben, glancing back at her friends before she looped her arm around his and moved forward.

A hush went over the room when the transfer students from the Isle stepped inside. Mal kept her gaze on her feet. Evie held her head up high and took on the stance and walk her mother spent years on having her perfect. The haughty expression she wore was a way of masking her nerves. Carlos squeezed Jay’s hand then released him, ears going red when he brought his arm back to his side.

“We can do two of you with Aziz, two of you with Jane,” Ben murmured once they reached the center of the room. Mal risked looking at how the tables were set up then sighed.

“I suppose it makes sense to have me and Carlos with Jane and Evie and Jay with Aziz.” She murmured and released Ben’s arm, turning to face her crew.

They all had their heads down with their gazes focused on the floor. She could see Carlos mouthing the elements from the periodic table. Jay kept clenching and unclenching his fingers into a fist. Evie was the one that worried her since her expression was unreadable beneath the mask she wore.

“Fifteen minutes,” Mal whispered. The words earned a nod from the three. “We need to make it through fifteen minutes without anything going wrong then we can go. Got it?”

“Yes,” Jay nodded then looked at Evie. He gently nudged her when she didn’t say anything. “Are you ready to go face our parents’ demons?”

Mal watched as Jay and Evie left, not appreciating that they were separated from her. It took a whimpering sound from Carlos to remind her that they still needed to face the other table.

“We got this, pup,” Mal whispered then approached the table where Jane sat. She was relieved there were two open chairs next to each other, gripping Carlos’s hand to show she wouldn’t be sitting beside Ben.

Carlos didn’t say anything, gaze promptly dropping to his lap. The adults stopped talking and looked at the two. Mal pressed her lips together to suppress a scowl and looked at a spot over Jane’s shoulder. The table had Jane, Ben, the couple from before, the blonde woman she refused to glance at, and the queen. Jay and Evie had the luck of the king and Fairy Godmother sitting at their table.

When neither teen said anything, Ben took it upon himself to clear his throat. Mal and Carlos briefly looked up at where he sat then glanced back down at the empty plates in front of them.

“We should go ahead and introduce ourselves,” Ben nodded. “As you know, I’m Ben. I sort of spearheaded the idea of giving children from the Isle a chance at visiting Auradon.” He ran his hand through his hair when Mal and Carlos didn’t say anything. Their silence was unsettling — not that he could blame them since the whole situation was a little uncomfortable.

“These are a few of the citizens that agreed to help in making your stay a little easier.” He paused to look at his mother. “I presume you recognize my mother. Mal has a knack for artwork and made a few changes to you and dad’s portraits.”

A soft laugh escaped through Belle’s lips before she spoke, eying the two teens with a curious expression. Having expected outbursts or them not showing up at all made their silence feel rather unnerving. She did catch a smirk from Mal at the mention of the portraits.

“Ah, I do believe one of the guards mentioned that after dropping supplies off,” She offered a small smile. They still wouldn’t look at her or the others. “He appreciated the addition of the horns on my husband. I may need to commission you to make a new one of the family.”

The statement was met with silence. Mal’s only form of acknowledging her words was a sideways glance and her shoulders rising up in a shrug.

“Right,” Jane laughed nervously. “You both know me. I’m Jane. My mom is the headmistress and I- I’m just happy seeing that things are working out so far.” 

There was a moment of silence after she spoke since the direction the table started in had Carlos as the next one to speak. Jane lightly elbowed him and he looked up at her, expression unreadable for a few seconds.

“C-Carlos de... de Vil,” He mumbled and briefly looked up at the adults, gaze quickly taking each of them in before he looked back down. “Th-Thank you for this opportunity.”

“Mal,” Mal added, then forced a mask of disinterest. She slowly took in each adults’ appearance and gave a calculated look, eyes resting on Belle for a few seconds before she went back to looking at her lap.

“I’m Anita and this is my husband Roger,” The woman beside Mal spoke. “Our curiosity piqued when we heard Carlos was one of the students Ben wanted to bring over.” Carlos wrinkled his nose when his name was brought up. He had no idea who the two were since his mother hadn’t explained anything. Anita was one of the names that got tossed around when she went off the deep end but he never had the chance to look into it. Roger was the most recognizable name to him.

“W-Wait,” Carlos’s eyes widened and he looked up at the gentleman. “Roger as in— You wrote the song that momma can’t stand?”

Roger looked confused for a moment then slowly nodded his head. “The one with her name?”

“Yeah,” The teen nodded, gaze back on his lap. “Your sheet music got me out of trouble a few times. M-Makes her mad enough to n-not want to deal with me.”

“My sheet music,” Roger raised a brow. “May I ask how that ended up with you?”

“I d-don’t know, sir,” Carlos mumbled and began to tap his foot against the ground. “She g-got really m-mad — like madder than usual one day and it- it just... appeared in ma—— my closet.”

He got quiet after that and looked at Mal. Feeling the teens’ unease left the woman to the right of Roger cautiously looking them over.

“I’m Aurora,” The blonde spoke softly once certain the two weren’t going to say anything else. “I believe you know my daughter Audrey. She wouldn’t stop talking about you last time she was home for the weekend.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Mal studied her nails then threw a cautious look at each adult, gaze resting on Aurora. “May I ask why we’re doing this?”

“I’m sorry, what do you mean?” Belle tilted her head to the side. Mal suppressed the need to roll her eyes and scoff by taking a deep breath and looking at Carlos before she spoke again.

Carlos shifted uncomfortably in his seat, gaze never leaving his lap since he had a bad feeling about the direction Mal was having the conversation go.

“Just this,” She gestured at the table and elaborate setup of plates and cutlery. “Are we meant to be some feel-good story where you took in four kids from the Isle that Auradon has been neglecting instead of doing work to better it from within?”

The adults were silent. Jane and Ben exchanged a look of unease and kept quiet, waiting with bated breath to see which adult was going to answer. Aurora and Anita were looking at Belle. Roger was the one to break the silence by whistling when a minute passed of nothing being said.

“It’s the start of a series of changes.” Belle answered rather diplomatically.

“That took your son expressing an interest in getting anything done.” Mal narrowed her eyes. There was a beat of silence then Belle shook her head.

“No,” Mal stated through gritted teeth when Belle went to speak. “It’s inexcusable. Twenty years should have been more than enough time to make sure the place was inhabitable and not overrun with kids.” 

She was sent flinching backward when food and drinks appeared on the table out of nowhere. The look of panic on her face was short-lived and added to proving they weren’t used to magic since Carlos ended up on the ground from it. His chair fell backward from how badly he flinched. Evie and Jay yelped in shock from the other table.

The room was silent while the four teenagers recollected themselves. The table Jay was at was quick to start talking again since he and Aladdin were chatting before the interruption.

Mal and Carlos stared at Belle, waiting for her to speak. Carlos turned toward Anita and Roger when the queen opted for getting a cup of tea instead of saying anything. He needed a deep breath before he risked looking Roger in the eye.

“Would you have tr-“ He paused to take a steadying breath, not wanting the stammer to come out since he needed the question taken seriously. “Trusted my mother with one of your puppies if they didn’t stick her in jail?”

Mal cast a sideways glance at Carlos and pressed her tongue against her cheek to keep from saying anything. Roger and Anita exchanged a look with each other then shook their heads.

“No,” Roger answered. “We wouldn’t have.” Carlos cocked his head to the side and looked to Anita instead.

“Why not?” He managed to casually ask the question then reached for a piece of toast. The answer was likely going to ruin his appetite but it still felt necessary to ask.

“Why not?” Anita repeated his question. Carlos nodded to show he was being serious.

“She planned on skinning them to make a coat,” Roger wrinkled his nose. “She wouldn’t have treated it well.”

“So why was she allowed to have me?” Carlos’s gaze shifted from Anita to Roger then to Belle. He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. His teeth dug into his lower lip in an attempt at keeping his emotions back. Mixed feelings of anger and sorrow were trying to appear and he wasn’t about to cry in front of the royals or his classmates.

“It would be best if you asked her.” Belle wrinkled her nose. She didn’t know much about what was happening with the Isle since her husband was the one that came up with the idea and maintained control over things.

He claimed everything had been going well on it so it was a bit of a shock when their guards returned and said they only had enough supplies for half of the children on the Isle.

“Okay, gross,” Mal shook her head. “But I can promise Cruella hasn’t had anyone interested in her and Carlos is nothing like her henchmen’s sons. It’s kind of fishy. Same thing with Evie. Grimhilde never answered questions about her father and Cruella only ever said Carlos’s dad is just as useless as he is.”

“Hey,” Carlos made a face. “That’s only okay when I’m the one that says it.”

“They needed to hear it,” Mal shook her head. “All I’m saying is the idea of someone sleeping with them or the stork dropping innocent babies off to villains doesn’t add up.”

“Perhaps it’s a private matter,” Belle suggested. “Most parents don’t think it is appropriate to discuss how their child was made.”

“Our parents aren’t like most parents,” Carlos muttered and stuck his untouched toast on the plate in front of him. “Especially my mother.”

The other adults had taken to listening while the teens and Belle spoke, silently picking at breakfast since the things Mal and Carlos were saying did not match up with the illusion the King tried to maintain about the Isle.

“How are you liking school?” Belle asked in an attempt to smooth things over.

“Forget this,” Mal grumbled and stood up, growling before she continued. “This is a waste of time. We’re leaving.”

Ben reached out to grab Mal’s hand and quickly brought his arm back to his side when she glared at him. There was a green glint in her eyes that would have been mesmerizing if he wasn’t terrified of the glare that came with them.

“Thank you for the opportunity to chat but no thanks for breakfast,” She shook her head then pulled at Carlos’s sleeve. “We’re leaving.”

Carlos didn’t say anything and threw a glance in Ben’s direction, shoulders rising in a shrug before he stood up and followed Mal out of the room.

“Wait, so pop’s stories about the Cave of Wonders are mostly true?” Jay chuckled. “He made it sound like you begged him to leave you in there.”

“That part is a bit of embellishment from his end,” Aladdin shook his head. “He tricked me but it was certainly worth it.” He looked away from the teen and caught his wife’s gaze, smiling at her when their eyes met.

“Jay, I’m begging you,” Aziz groaned from across the table. “You need to change topics —— You’ll get him going on about it for hours.”

“He offered to let me visit Agrabah before winter break,” Jay scoffed. “The least I can do is listen. Especially if it means learning a thing or two from him.”

“He won’t be encouraging the thieving behavior that was brought up.” The king interrupted. Aladdin, Aziz, and Jay wore almost identical looks of disgust.

“I don’t recall Jay asking him to,” Evie allowed a small scowl to form along the edge of her lips. Her mother always mentioned wrinkles so it wasn’t worth using a full one. “Insinuating that he would want to know seems rather presumptuous to me.”

“Mind your manners.” Adam narrowed his eyes at her. Evie didn’t shrink back from his look, meeting it with a steely glare of her own.

“Mother made sure they’re ingrained in me,” She stuck her nose up before continuing. “School has me realizing I can think for myself though. Excuse my impertinence, your highness, but I will not allow you to make accusations without proper reason to do so.”

Jay’s jaw hung open when Evie finished. She had taken on the behaviors that were usually reserved for when she was in public with her mother. A better than you attitude, a proper way of speaking, and a way of carrying herself that oozed confidence she didn’t have were all mannerisms her mother had drilled into her from a young age.

“My apologies,” The King spoke through gritted teeth. “You may carry on with the conversation, Jay.”

Evie sniffed then turned to Snow White, her charade breaking slightly so she could ask her question without her voice being loud enough to be heard by the others.

“Is he always like this?” She whispered. Evie was taken aback because Snow seemed relieved by her not trying to talk down to her.

“He may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today.” She cracked a smile then took a bite of sausage. The King was keeping a close eye on everyone’s interactions and his calculating gaze zeroed in the moment she turned to address Evie. He didn’t appear to like that the table was mostly well mannered.

“What’s he like when he ——“ Evie’s thought trailed off since Jay started waving his arm at her. “What is it, Jay?”

“Uh, E, the others aren’t at the table,” He answered. “Ben said they left a while ago.”

“What?” Her whole facade dropped to reveal a concerned look. “That can’t be right.” She turned around and found the original occupants of the second table there minus two empty chairs where Carlos and Mal had been.

“We have to go,” She stated then looked around at the adults. “Thank you for breakfast. Maybe we can do this again sometime?”

“We would like that,” Jasmine answered. “I will be sure to speak to Belle about scheduling another.’

“Thank you.” Jay offered a smile and pushed his chair in, taking the lead in exiting the room.

“They aren’t a bad pair of kids.” Aladdin spoke once the door shut behind Jay and Evie.

“Fairy Godmother and I have been trying to tell you all that.” Aziz frowned and looked at Fairy Godmother. She hadn’t spoken at all during the breakfast past a greeting to each person. The only thing she did was toss warning glances in the King’s direction if he appeared to be making biased statements about the Isle and the two teenagers that were from it.

“He’s right,” Fairy Godmother nodded. “I take it you all understand what I meant by saying their mannerisms are of interest?”

“Grimhilde appears to have gotten into Eveline’s head,” Snow White frowned. “She’s using a mask as a defense. It’s almost identical to what her mother used with my father. I hope being away from her does some good.”

“How long are they here until?” Aziz asked. The question earned a groan from the King.

“Ben is pushing for the whole school year,” He announced through gritted teeth.

“That was the original plan,” Fairy Godmother reminded him. “Need I remind you the invitation was to finish off school here?”

“No,” Adam shook his head. “I don’t need any reminders. The outburst from Maleficent’s daughter shouldn’t have happened.”

“Outburst?” Jasmine cocked her head to the side. “That was hardly an outburst. The only reason I heard anything was because she happened to have her seat close to mine.”

Adam fell silent after that since Belle approached the table. She placed both hands on his shoulders and gently squeezed him.

“We have work to do, love,” She leaned down to whisper in his ear. “I think their children may be worth listening to.”

Ben, Aziz, and Jane ducked out once the adults congregated around one table to discuss how their interactions went. The three were silent until they reached the end of the hallway and started up the flight of stairs that led to the dormitories.

“We should apologize,” Jane broke the silence that settled over them. “It wasn’t a good idea even with us mixed in.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Aziz shrugged. “Jay and my dad got along pretty well. He accepted an invite to a weekend spent in Agrabah. Under the condition that Carlos be allowed to join him but that’s way more progress than my attempts earned.”

“Seriously?” Ben looked impressed. “That’s nothing like how our table went.”

“Carlos asked why he was in his mother’s care if Anita and Roger wouldn’t trust her with one of their dogs,” Jane murmured. “It got me wondering what his relationship with her is like.”

“Mal fixed mum with one of the most terrifying looks I’ve seen her give.” Ben added.

“Try not to seem too smitten about her,” Aziz chuckled and elbowed Ben. “You haven’t told your father about your little announcement from yesterday.”

“Yeah, and let Aurora know the betrothal is off?” Ben shook his head. “Not on family weekend when she and her mother are up. I don’t need the whole day to be a total disaster.”

They arrived at Jay and Carlos’ dorm soon after and lightly knocked on the door, looking a little alarmed when then wasn’t an immediate answer. The sound of the lock shifting was heard when they didn’t move.

Evie cracked the door open and glared at Jane since she was closest, smirking when she shrunk back behind Ben. “What do you want?”

“We are here to apologize,” Ben spoke softly, hoping the even tone would be enough to keep the door from slamming in his face. “Do you mind opening up so we can give a proper one?”

The question was met with muffled groans from the others but the door eventually opened.

“You can step through the doorway but that’s it.” Mal hissed out. The three stepped in and let the door stay open.

“Look,” Aziz held both hands up. “We tried telling them it wasn’t a good idea to do it with no warning.”

“And we weren’t expecting you to show,” Ben murmured. “That was an underestimate on my part.”

“Yeah we figured that much,” Mal rolled her eyes. The others nodded in agreement. “So that’s why we came.”

“I’m sorry it was too much,” Ben took a step closer to Mal. “I’ll make it up to you —— All of you.”

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend on keeping,” Mal shook her head then quickly changed the subject. “Are we supposed to go to today’s festivities?”

“They’re optional,” Jane looked down at her feet. “Only catch is the cafeteria is serving food outside for it.”

“You’re joking.” Mal deadpanned. Groans chorused from Carlos and Jay when Ben and Aziz shook their heads.

“Sadly we aren’t.” Ben grimaced. “I may be able to see if food can be sent up here.”

“We would appreciate that,” She grumbled. “No point in going to family activities when our parents aren’t here.”

“Right,” Aziz nodded. “Well, we’ll see you around. Just holler at one of us if you need anything.”

The three left after that and went off to find the adults. Jane and Aziz were unaware that their parents were having a conversation that voiced similar concerns toward what they were worried about.

“We’re going to need to do a meeting.” Aladdin ran both hands through his hair, pacing the length of the mostly empty room the breakfast was held in. It was him, Jasmine, and Fairy Godmother left. They offered to clean up instead of sending one of the maintenance workers in to do it as a way of buying some time to talk.

“School board and sponsors,” He shook his head. “Anita was concerned because Carlos insinuated his mother shouldn’t have been able to have him. I have to give him credit since he asked if they’d trust her with a puppy.”

“And Aurora said Mal claims the Isle is overrun with children that aren’t being properly cared for,” Jasmine added with a frown. “Aziz has been keeping me in the loop with the concerns about them and I think things may be worse than any of them are making them seem.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Fairy Godmother sighed. “We have been documenting everything but there hasn’t been anything that screams we need to get them all off the Isle.”

“Adam has been making it sound like everything is well,” Jasmine’s frown shifted to a grimace. “But they’re all too skinny. Too quiet. Did you see how they all jumped when the food appeared?”

“They grew up without magic,” Fairy Godmother reminded her. “That doesn’t explain Carlos landing on the ground. I can only assure you we are taking the necessary steps in making sure they are okay here.”

“The meeting?” Aladdin quirked a brow at her then took Jasmine’s hand in his.

“I fear I’ll have to talk to Belle before we drag Adam into it,” The headmistress answered. “Adam may be hiding information from her.”

"Anita said Belle seemed just as surprised when he made the comment about being born," Jasmine winced. "I don't know what the teens are trying to insinuate but it certainly left us with something to think about."

“I know,” Fairy Godmother gave her a sad smile. “And I hope my gut feeling is incorrect, but we may be in for an interesting end of the semester if it turns out the teens’ rumors are true.”


	15. Tell Me Everything’s Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With breakfast having brought up more concerns than anything else, Fairy Godmother, Aladdin, and Jasmine begin to ask Adam and Belle questions. The girls get their physicals done and Carlos’s ear becomes a concern for the teens and the doctor. Adam announces that the teens’ parents reached out requesting that they go home for the winter holidays.

The meeting came the Monday after Family Weekend with the adults having a mutual agreement that getting to the bottom of things was of importance. There was a brief chat with Fairy Godmother where the school board and sponsors brought up their concerns. They didn’t want to overwhelm the royal family so an agreement of Fairy Godmother and Jasmine and Aladdin being the ones to talk to them was put in place, with the decision that Fairy Godmother would be the one to keep the conversation on track.

Aladdin deliberately claimed the seat across from where the king would sit and was relieved to see him, Belle and Ben arrive for the meeting.

Jasmine shifted her seat closer to her husband’s and grabbed his hand beneath the table, squeezing in an attempt to make him lose some of the tension in his shoulders. Aladdin was annoyed at the way the children from the Isle looked and behaved. It wasn’t anything the teens had done — but their outward appearance that left him believing things weren’t exactly as the royal family made things seem.

Adam cleared his throat then took his seat. Belle sat in the middle of him and Ben. Jasmine and Aladdin were staring at the king, waiting to see if he or Fairy Godmother would speak first.

“We have called a meeting to bring up several concerns about the transfer students from the Isle,” Fairy Godmother spoke after giving the king a minute to say something and nothing being said. “The details we were given before their arrival do not match up with what we are seeing. The school board and the families that are sponsoring them have several concerns.”

The king sighed then tapped his fingers against the table, fixing his gaze on Fairy Godmother since she and his wife were the only ones that could keep his temper from getting the best of him.

“I said to expect odd behaviors,” Adam shrugged, sounding thoroughly disinterested in the conversation. “And said we do not know what to fully expect of them or how they were raised.’

“We were told the Isle has similar services to what Auradon has,” Fairy Godmother pressed her tongue against her cheek since she almost raised her voice. “Yet the children came over looking like they’ve been starved and said the Isle does not have doctors.”

She shifted her gaze from Adam to Belle, noting that the queen’s expression faltered for a brief moment before she plastered a neutral mask.

“There were no physicals sent over and we have no knowledge of when Carlos and Jay were born,” She continued. “I have reason to believe that wasn’t paper lost in the shuffle.”

“Things are a little different on the Isle,” Adam shook his head. “We have witchdoctors and midwives trained to deliver essential care.”

“Witchdoctors?” Belle cast a sideways glance at her husband. “What happened to my—” Her mouth snapped shut when he raised an eyebrow at her.

“I’m still ironing out the details,” He tried to reassure her. The nearly whispered words and concerned look from his wife earned a look of interest from across the table. “Finishing up the building and finding the proper staff.”

“If I were to ask Jay if there is a hospital in the works…” Aladdin narrowed his eyes at the king.

“He wouldn’t know,” Adam shook his head. “It’s going on an expanded part of the Isle that is away from the general population.”

Jasmine tightened the grip she had around her husband’s wrist, not liking the change that took over his posture.

“Aziz mentioned the teens saying they don’t get enough food,” She sighed. “Prince Benjamin, were you told something similar?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Ben answered. “I am working on sending over better supplies to the Isle. We sent clothes and shoes over but need to do another shipment since there are more children than I initially anticipated. Food is going to be a tough one to work out. I made a promise to Mal and the others that I would be working to make things better for the other children and don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.”

Jasmine nodded after hearing what he had to say then turned to look at Fairy Godmother. She didn’t try to hide the concerned look that had taken over her expression.

“The two teens that have been to the infirmary did not pass their physical or mental health screenings,” Fairy Godmother fixed her gaze on the king, looking for any sign that he found it surprising. “They are in the process of scheduling an appointment to ensure one of them hasn’t had hearing damage done from a parent boxing their ears in.”

There was a beat of silence where she allowed the king to think over what she said, a moment passing before she spoke again since she paused long enough to allow him to say something.

“Corporal punishment was deemed illegal before your son was born,” She reminded him. “Can you explain why the Isle appears to have a different set of rules than Auradon?”

“Perhaps the child is lying,” The king shrugged, not flinching when his statement earned scoffs from Belle and Jasmine. “Did you take that into consideration?”

“The boy mentioned it as casually as someone would mention the weather,” There was a bite to Fairy Godmother’s tone of voice. “Brought up bloody drainage and shrugged then said it’s happened before. What type of child doesn’t flip out over blood coming out of their ear?”

“We will look into it,” Belle calmly announced. The news was certainly disheartening but she couldn’t afford to have her husband or Fairy Godmother shouting. “I will make sure of it. Were there any other concerns besides fearing they weren’t given enough food and being mistreated at home?”

Jasmine raised the hand that wasn’t wrapped around her husband’s, waiting for Belle to nod before she spoke.

“Carlos,” She sighed. “Aziz has been worrying about the youngest of the four — saying he’s rather skittish and doesn’t appear to like talking. Are we able to investigate his home life?”

“I’m trying to,” Ben looked Jasmine in the eye. “I can’t disclose what I know but I’ve been working on showing him he can trust a few of the students — myself as one of them. Doc said he and Jay can’t play in the Tourney games but are allowed to go to practices and train. It’s going to be me and Aziz switching off on coaching him until they both get the all-clear to play. I’m hoping they can play in a few of the games this season.”

Ben paused to run his hand through his hair then cast a sideways glance at his father. “He appears to be the one most of us are worried about. Especially after the comments he made during breakfast.”

“Which were?” Adam turned to look his son over. Belle shifted in her seat so she was closer to Ben. Her steely gaze met her husband’s then she shrugged her shoulders.

“Something about not understanding how his mother had him.” She murmured. Ben gave a nod of agreement from beside her.

“He and Mal made it sound like there wasn’t a way for that to happen,” He shook his head. “Both referenced Cruella not being the most motherly type and questioned why she was allowed to have him.”

Aladdin’s gaze shifted back to Adam’s to see what he had to say. There was a slight change in his posture that caused Jasmine to cast him a sideways glance, keeping an eye on her husband to make sure he didn’t get overly upset with the king.

It was no secret that Aladdin disliked Adam. He didn’t appreciate the way the royal family was handling things but knew better than to complain too much. The main issue was his having been around back when the idea of the Isle had first come about and the board in charge of making the place liveable having ignored the majority of his suggestions. _Most of which would have resulted in the people on the Isle having better access to resources._

“Surely they don’t need a talk on genetics.” Adam scowled, look softening when Belle elbowed him.

“Mal assured us they know the basics on that, love,” She sighed. “It’s just a matter of them agreeing on her never having had a suitor. The spell didn’t bring Mr. De Vil back since he passed on well before the plan of killing one hundred and one dalmatians backfired.”

“What are you getting at?” Adam raised an eyebrow at his wife. Belle’s expression faltered and she bit her lower lip.

“I agree with them on things sounding fishy,” She murmured. “I looked into their birth records and we don't have any information besides the girls having told Fairy Godmother what their date of birth is. Yen Sid couldn’t find information on the Isle so any sort of record is either with their parents or doesn’t exist at all.”

Belle clenched her jaw then turned toward her husband. “I _know_ I suggested a hospital and a proper documentation system for the residents on the Isle. What happened to it?”

There was a moment of silence that was broken when Aladdin released a bitter chuckle. Fairy Godmother, Belle, Ben, and Jasmine’s attention immediately snapped to him. Adam glared across the table once certain the attention was off him.

“I fail to see any humor in this situation,” Belle scoffed. “Enlighten us, Aladdin.”

“He knows something,” Jasmine narrowed her eyes at her husband. “I would hope you haven’t been keeping secrets from me.”

“Let’s just say I was bullied into it,” He threw an icy glare in the king’s direction. The options had been keeping his mouth shut and keeping his position on the council that aided in making decisions for the surrounding lands or opening his mouth and ensuring he and Jasmine were kept out of everything.

“Seeing as we’re bordering on it being pertinent information, are you going to tell them how you fucked up, or is that on me?” His choice in words earned a shocked gasp from his wife and her crossing her arms over her chest before giving him a warning glance.

“Dad, what does he mean?” Ben leaned forward in an attempt to look his father in the eye, growing alarmed when his father released a low growl in reply.

“Ben, take your leave,” He hissed out through gritted teeth then slammed his fist against the table when his son went to say something. “This doesn’t pertain to you and serves as an adult conversation I refuse to allow you to partake in.”

Ben narrowed his eyes at his father. Ordinarily, the clenched jaw and hitting or throwing things was enough to keep him from trying to challenge his father. It just so happened that his coronation was coming up and would mean needing to clean up after whatever mess his father created.

“No,” Ben stated in a rather bored tone. “I can’t allow you to make that decision for me.”

“Excuse me?” The king growled. Ben’s nostrils flared but he kept a calm front. Internally, his stomach was reeling. His father had never laid a finger on him or his mother but his next set of words were going to put his temper to the test.

“I said no,” He shrugged, eyes narrowing when his father tilted his head to the side. “Not when I am king at the end of the month and going to need to clean up whatever comes next.”

“Kid’s got a point,” Aladdin whistled when no one said anything. His gaze refocused on Adam and he raised an eyebrow in a challenge when the king didn’t look at him. “Your husband wanted to try—”

“Enough,” Adam glared at Aladdin. “Wanted to try what?” Belle asked at the same time. She gave a warning look to her husband before he started to talk.

“It’s nothing important.” He scoffed. Aladdin gave a scoff in return then rolled his eyes.

“Because trying to thin out the evil bloodline is nothing.” Aladdin spoke in a dangerously calm tone that left Jasmine and Belle exchanging wary glances with each other.

“I’m sorry, what?” Ben gasped out then shook his head. “You didn’t just—”

“I said what I said,” Aladdin shook his head then narrowed his eyes at the king. “It’s on you to fill in the gaps.”

“What did you do?” Belle turned to look at her husband. A small scowl creased over her lips. Her mouth twitched since she was struggling to keep a straight face. Her emotions were threatening to become too much.

Ben remained silent, cautiously eyeing his father. With the way his mother was behaving, the news wouldn’t be good.

“Well?” Aladdin asked when Adam didn’t say anything. He pressed his lips together to suppress a smirk then took hold of Jasmine’s hand.

“The board made the final decision,” The king shrugged. “On deciding to give thinning the villain bloodline a try. Nothing major. Donors to provide sperm, allowing the females of the Isle to make a decision about whether or not they wanted a child. No one was forced into it.”

There was a beat of silence then the other adults all started talking at once. Ben didn’t know who to listen to since they were talking over each other.

“I said it was a bad idea from the start,” Aladdin blurted out. “Money is given to the donors, nothing to the families, and no screening to make sure the parent in question was capable of raising a life.”

“You have to be joking,” Jasmine spoke in a rush, eyes darting from Ben to Belle. “Did you know?”

“Is that why everyone has been hushed about giving more details about the Isle?” Fairy Godmother narrowed her eyes at Adam.

“That was more important than a hospital?” Belle asked. There was a bit of venom in her voice that rarely came out.

“Not all at once,” Ben shouted over the five. He earned a shocked look from both parents then ran his hand through his hair. “My apologies for raising my voice but this is too important to have everyone shouting over each other.”

He felt as though he was going to be sick to his stomach and needed a few steadying breaths before he was able to speak again, needing to force himself to be calm since he couldn’t afford to come across as childish when he was next in line for the throne.

“Aladdin, is what you said true?” Ben couldn’t look his father in the eye, opting for tossing a look in Aladdin’s direction.

“Unfortunately,” He shook his head. “They didn’t want anything practical when they discovered the people of the Isle were procreating.”

“And you kept that a secret?” Jasmine grimaced. “For what reason?”

“The board told me to maintain silence or face being kicked out of everything,” He muttered. “I figured someone with more logical ideas needed to remain. You were pregnant at the time.”

“I expect to be told more later,” Jasmine muttered. “In private since this is too big of a conversation.”

Belle was silent. She felt mortified knowing her husband was keeping secrets from her and their son.

“What sort of tracking was there for it?” Ben asked after a moment of silence, still refusing to look in his father’s direction.

“We assigned numbers,” Adam shrugged, deciding it best to keep calm since there was no getting out of the hole he was in. “There’s a file somewhere that lists the name of the donor and who got what.” Whether or not the attempt was successful was never followed up on though.

“Somewhere,” Belle glowered. “As in you lost it or somewhere as in you know where it is?”

Her husband’s silence was met by Belle groaning with annoyance and suddenly pushing her chair away from the table.

“Forget it,” She gasped out, bordering on tears. “I’m spending the rest of the week at my father’s. Maybe longer since you can’t provide straight answers.” She turned on her heel after that and ran out of the room. Ben blinked several times then looked toward where Aladdin and Jasmine sat.

“Th-Thank you for coming forward with that information,” He stammered. “I’m going to need a written account of what was done and what was said to you to keep you from coming forward and I-I’ll figure things out from there. Fairy Godmother, I need to request the utmost secrecy until we’ve got an idea of what’s going on. I- I will break the news to the Isle children once I have an idea of what’s been done.”

He ran his hand through his hair after that and didn’t look at his father. If he had his way, it would turn into the man spending a few weeks on the Isle to see what damage was done by his greed.

“I’m going to adjourn the meeting and I- I will reach out when a proper plan is in place,” Ben needed a breath before he continued. “Thank you for your time.”

* * *

Evie and Mal paced the length of the waiting room, neither of them excited about getting their physicals done. Carlos accompanied them since he needed to get his ear checked over by Doc. The plan was for Mal and Evie to complete their physicals then Evie sitting with Carlos during the appointment for his ear.

“Mal, Evie,” Merryweather called out. The three teens looked up at her. “It’s time for your physicals. Carlos, the doctor will be with you shortly.”

Carlos rapidly shook his head, looking relieved when Evie beat him to speaking.

“I thought I was joining him.” She gave the nurse a confused look. “If he needs to go first, Mal and I can put our physicals off a little. None of us are comfortable with being left alone for any of this.”

“Right,” The fairy nodded. “Forgot about that. Let me check with Doc.” She disappeared for a moment, reappearing before the teens got around to saying anything to each other.

“Okay, physicals first. Then Doc will look everything over— Carlos’s ear included,” She paused to look Evie and Mal over. “I do need to grab your height and weight before we get to the exam room.”

The process of getting height and weight proved similar to Carlos’s and Jay’s results. The girls were of average height with weight being drastically low when compared to their peers. A big point of concern was the two having reported never gotten their periods. Merryweather made a note about needing to look into getting all four teens on a nutrition plan to see if that caused a change in some of their smaller ailments.

“What’s the point of this?” Evie asked and offered the mental health screening to the Fairy.

“I think you mean why do you care about that stuff,” Mal rolled her eyes. “You haven’t lived on the Isle if you didn’t wish you were dead at one point and the adults do more harm than we can do to ourselves. No one ever gave a shit about it before so why act like it’s important now?”

“Mal.” Evie and Carlos hissed her name out. They hadn’t known what to expect of the health screening but Mal’s words were incredibly unexpected.

“Don’t,” She snapped at them. “She probably knows more than she’s leading on so why bother with keeping my mouth shut? Think about the help they could have offered your mother with these questions, Carlos.”

Evie and Carlos didn’t say anything. Carlos looked down at his lap, hand shifting for the fidget spinner that was in his pocket.

“That’s not fair,” Evie added when Mal and the fairy didn’t say anything. “Not a fair thing to bring up.”

“N-No,” Carlos shook his head, anxiously biting his lower lip. “She’s right. Especially if- if they prescribe stuff for those sorts of things.”

“Yeah,” She whispered. “But it doesn’t validate your mother’s treatment either.”

“You don’t know half of it.” Carlos rolled his eyes then curled into himself, only looking up when the girls’ screenings were finished since Doc stepped into the room.

“Things look okay,” The doctor murmured. “We’re concerned about your weight though and will be reaching out to a nutritionist. It’s expected given where you come from but not considered healthy in Auradon.”

“See?” Mal glowered at the doctor. “They must know something is off back home or he wouldn’t be talking like that.”

“Oh no,” Evie shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. Mom says I can’t put anything else on or I’ll lose my figure.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about, Eveline,” The doctor sighed. “They’ll ensure it’s a healthy way of making sure you get the proteins that are needed to grow into a healthy adult.”

“Why doesn’t the Isle already offer that stuff?” Mal narrowed her eyes at Doc. It was mind-boggling to her that the two adults in the room didn’t seem surprised by the results.

“I can’t answer that since I’m not in charge of how the Isle is run,” He answered. “That is something that would need to be brought up with the king.”

“Yeah, okay,” She grumbled. “Because that will totally go well.”

“Enough, Mal,” Evie muttered. “I think they get that we aren’t amused by any of the changes that have been introduced to us.”

The two exchanged glares then fell silent, looking at Carlos since the teen shifted uncomfortably.

“I am going to request that you each do an intake visit with one of our counselors,” Doc added with a shrug. “One visit is all I am requiring.”

“What does that mean?” Evie asked and wrinkled her nose. The Isle didn’t have counselors or any sort of services that benefited its people.

“It’s a mental health consultation to make sure everything is okay,” Merryweather murmured. “The school offers services and a few of the answers on the screening show it may be helpful to look into it.”

“Yeah… No,” Mal rolled her eyes. “We don’t need to participate in that. No thanks.”

“If it comes down to needing to ban extracurricular activities to get you to do it, we may need to,” Doc sighed. “It’s one appointment then you get the decision to continue or not. Nothing binding.”

“Go ahead,” Mal scoffed and shook her head. “I’m not doing anything outside of going to class so nothing to lose.”

Evie gave Mal a concerned look then shook her head, mumbling when their eyes locked. “Don’t test them.”

“Noted,” Merryweather sighed and wrinkled her nose. She would need to mention their not wanting to get counseling to Fairy Godmother since the four teens rejected the idea.

“Alright Carlos,” Doc released the breath he was holding, having expected further outbursts from Mal and Evie. “It’s time to get a good look at your ear.”

“D-D-Do we r-really n-n-need to?” Carlos stammered then covered his face with his hands. Evie took one of his hand in hers and gently squeezed his fingers, not bothering to say anything since she doubted words would help.

“You mentioned bloody discharge,” Doc sighed. “It could be a sign of infection or a different issue.”

“It doesn’t b-bother me,” He mumbled and cast a timid glance in the doctor’s direction. “What… What do you need to do?”

“I’m going to get a look with the otoscope,” Doc held up the instrument to show Carlos. “T-To look in your ear and see if there’s anything un-unusual. I may need to pull your ear to get a better look.”

“Go ahead.” Carlos sat up straight and turned so the doctor could look at his bad ear. He held his breath, unmoving when Doc gently tugged at his ear. The scope shifted and caused him to bite back a whimper, fingers tightening around the edge of his seat.

Mal and Evie exchanged a nervous glance with each other, not saying anything since they didn’t want to do something to cause Carlos to flinch or make things worse. He hadn’t mentioned the ear to either of them outside of casually mentioning the doctor needed to look at it so he’d go with them.

“All set,” Doc took a step back then looked at where Merryweather stood. The fairy had a notebook in hand and was ready to write. “We’re going to need to prescribe an antibiotic for the infection.” He then turned to Carlos, expression faltering upon spotting how pale the teen looked.

“Have you had symptoms of dizziness and vomiting or complete hearing loss in the ear?” He asked. Carlos pressed his lips together and shrugged.

“‘Los,” He looked up shocked since Mal was the one that called him. “Tell him. I’m not gonna be upset you didn’t come to me.” He nodded after that then shook his head at Doc.

“M-M-Muffled,” Carlos stammered. “And a b-bit of blood. Ringing too b-but that’s… That’s been it. Didn’t get hit hard enough for vomiting or feeling dizzy this time.”

“How many times has this happened before?” Doc asked. Carlos shrugged, truthfully having lost count of how often his mother smacked the side of his head.

“Enough f-for me to know the muffled sounds and ringing are worrisome,” He mumbled. “Usually ends up better in a month b-b-but this one had weird discharge before it got hit again.”

“How did you usually handle that on the Isle?” Doc looked over at Merryweather to make sure she was taking notes.

“Making sure it didn’t get wet,” Carlos gave another shrug. “Offer the o-other ear if it was particularly b-bad. W-Witchdoctors said to keep it clean b-but not stick anything in it.”

“How frequently did your ear get injured?” The doctor raised an eyebrow. Carlos puffed his cheeks out as a way of keeping quiet while he thought his answer over.

“Sir, it’s b-been a frequent occurrence since I c-could walk,” He looked at Evie. The small nod from her was enough to give him the courage to get the words out. “M-M-Momma isn’t the most patient person.”

“Was that the only thing -” Doc’s question was interrupted by a snarl from Mal. He and Carlos jumped at the sound.

“What does that have to do with fixing his ear now?” She snapped. “Fairy Godmother is aware of what happened so I don’t see what good more questions about it are going to do.” 

“I may need to bring an audiologist in,” The doctor’s voice shook a little when he spoke. “Make sure permanent damage hasn’t been done.”

“Wouldn’t he know if damage was done?” Mal tried glaring at Carlos but her expression faltered the moment she spotted how nervous he looked. “It can’t be all that bad since he could pick up the sound of a dog whistle from across the Isle.”

“Did you just say dog whistle?” Merryweather looked confused, uncertain if she heard right.

“Uh yeah,” Mal rolled her eyes. “His mother used one to get his attention. I can’t be certain it was a proper dog whistle but I know Jay’s ears couldn’t pick up on it.”

“Interesting,” The fairy sighed and made a note to get a referral for an audiologist to visit the school. It wouldn’t hurt to do a hearing test on the other three as well.

“I’ll see the audiologist,” Carlos spoke up once the others were quiet. “J-Just to make sure n-nothing’s wrong.” He hadn’t noticed anything hearing wise but home had always been just him and his mother. There was the chance of something popping up once he was used to being at school.

“That’s it for today,” Doc announced after looking over Merryweather’s notes. “Carlos, I’ll be filling a prescription for an antibiotic for your ear. The directions will be on the box and it will be delivered to your dorm. We’ll check back once you’ve taken the 14 days of the medication and make a plan from there. Do you have any other questions?”

“No.” Mal and Evie said at the same time. Carlos shook his head. The three took off after that, looking relieved at seeing they would make it to Goodness Class on time.

Jay was lurking in the hallway outside the classroom, not ready to go in since the others hadn’t arrived. He couldn’t hide the smile that spread over his lips when he spotted the three approaching from the opposite end of the hallway.

“How’d it go?” He asked once they were near him. His gaze focused on Carlos a little longer than he had on the girls.

“F-F-Fine,” Carlos shrugged. “Antibiotics and needing to see Doc again once I’m done. I accidentally let slip that it wasn’t the only t-time she did anything.”

“We have to go to counseling,” Mal rolled her eyes. “I don’t understand why they’re acting like they give a shit when they didn’t care about us on the Isle.”

“We’re not allowed to play Tourney until we get it done,” Jay shook his head. “Well, that and them being concerned we don’t weigh enough to play with the others. It fucking sucks.”

“So are we doing it or not?” Mal grimaced then led the way into the classroom. “Fairy Godmother didn’t say counseling was part of the deal in staying in Auradon.”

“Y-Yeah,” Carlos stammered. “But she could add it into the requirements if she hears that none of us want to d-do it.”

“Right,” Mal groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I guess we’re doing it then.” The four took their seats in the usual row of chairs that they used and remained quiet until Fairy Godmother arrived. Evie and Jay tilted their heads at the teacher’s expression.

“We didn’t have an assignment due today, right?” Jay nudged Carlos with his elbow, breathing out a sigh of relief when Carlos shook his head. “What’s up, Fairy G?”

Fairy Godmother released a sigh of her own then looked down at her cellphone, rereading the email from the King a few times over before glancing back up at the teens.

“I’ve received a notice from the royal family,” She managed to speak calmly despite the rage that was brewing in the back of her mind. “Carlos, Mal, Jay, and Evie, your parents have requested you visit home for the holidays.”

Her words earned silence. The four looked at each other, unable to come up with anything to say. Carlos shrunk into himself and shook his head. Jay slipped an arm around his shoulders and gently tugged him closer to him.

“The King has requested that you take their reaching out into consideration for the winter holidays since Auradon cannot allow them to visit.” Fairy Godmother risked looking up at the teens, expression faltering since Jay, Evie, and Mal were looking at Carlos.

“Are we able to advocate that isn’t in our best interests?” Evie asked. “In-person to him? And is it just for the holidays or is this an attempt at cutting our school year short? We got the physicals done. A meeting with one of the school counselors is next.”

“I’m not sure, but if you rope Ben into it you can likely get a meeting with him and his parents,” The headmistress answered. “We had a chat this morning and I don’t think he is particularly pleased with me right now. I need to give him a bit of time before I can try reaching out again.”

“Okay,” Mal nodded then took a steadying breath. “Evie and I could manage going home but I’m willing to get the counseling done to spend the whole year here.” Her thoughts were an understatement since they hadn’t made any progress on trying to secure the wand. Maleficent would likely ground her for life and try to keep her from going back to school if she did go home.

“I’ll reach out to Ben and let everyone know what comes next.” She sighed and ran her hand through her hair, tossing her backpack over her shoulder before leaving to find her boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are going to be 3-5 chapters left for this story (depending on how long it takes to address the last couple of things I want to write out) then this story will be complete. Question of the week is is my next work in progress going to be a prequel to this or moving into the second movie?


	16. Happy Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mal seeks out Ben’s help in setting up a meeting with his father. The conversation ends with his asking if she and Evie would go on a double date with him and Doug. Their dinner date goes smoothly until a phone call interrupts.

Mal struggled with maintaining her composure while she rushed through the hallway in search of Ben. Not knowing his schedule made things more difficult than expected. She released a breath she wasn’t aware she was holding when she passed Audrey and Jane, needing to backtrack a few steps and run her hand through her hair before approaching the two.

The daughter of Maleficent wasn’t one for getting anxious. She was supposed to be the one that always had a plan and knew what to do when the others were worried. Fairy Godmother’s news left her stomach in knots, knowing that she and her friends wouldn’t receive a warm welcome if the king continued to push for them to return to the Isle at the end of the semester.

“Hey,” Mal wrinkled her nose when the two jumped away from each other. “Have either of you seen Ben?”

Jane shook her head then looked at Audrey, eyebrows furrowing when she shook her head as well.

“So no?” Mal asked when neither of them said anything. “Could one of you text him for me?”

“Yeah,” Jane nodded. “I can do that for you. What’s the problem?” She looked concerned when Mal’s expression faltered.

“Just say it’s urgent and that he needs to get in contact with me, Evie, or Jay before the end of the day,” She shook her head and ran her hand through her hair in an attempt at easing her nerves. “We still need to look into the whole phone thing so… We’ll probably be in one of our dorms.”

Jane pulled her phone out from her pocket and typed the text out, offering it to Mal to make sure things were worded the way she wanted.

“That’s fine,” Mal forced a small smile. “Thank you. I seriously appreciate it.” She took off for her dorm and threw her bag on her bed, ignoring when it fell to the ground since she used too much force when she flung it.

“What am I supposed to do if it turns into all of us getting sent home?” She muttered under her breath. Mal began to pace the length of her dorm, continuing to mumble as she walked.

“Carlos can’t. The rest of us could but we’re fucked if we don’t get the wand before then,” Her expression faltered when she thought about the wand. “I don’t even know if it’s worth going after anymore.”

She was too conflicted about the whole thing. On one hand, Auradon had become a safe haven for her and the others. On the other, it was unfair that the Isle received minimal goods while Auradon had an excessive amount of everything. Something needed to change and she had a feeling giving the wand to her mother wouldn’t do any good.

“This is too much,” Mal groaned then sat on the edge of her bed, bending down to grab a pencil and her sketchbook from her backpack. She sat back up and began to sketch, only looking up when someone knocked on the door.

A quick look at her appearance in Evie’s mirror left her grimacing since she was pale and had messed her hair up from worrying too much. She tried to fix it back in place then opened the door, face falling the moment she laid eyes on Ben.

“It’s you.” She whispered then took a step back to let him enter the room. Anything more than a whisper and she would be bordering on allowing her inner turmoil to take over.

“Jane said it was urgent?” He took a moment to look Mal over, noting that she seemed more tense than usual. “May I close the door?” A nod from her left him stepping in enough to let it close.

“Your father,” Mal barely got the words out before the tears started falling, promptly covering her face with her hands since she wasn’t a crier and didn’t need the first proper interaction with Ben since he asked her out to involve a wave of tears. Her shoulders shook while she tried to silence herself.

Ben took a step forward and awkwardly pulled Mal in for a hug, hand pressing against the small of her back when she stiffened against his grasp.

“Hey,” He whispered when she leaned into him. “I’m not going to say things are okay but— What did he do? He hasn’t spoken to me since this morning.” She couldn’t have found out about the information Aladdin let slip during the morning since it had only been him and the adults present. That would need to come up eventually but whatever had her crying was more important at that moment.

“Parents w-want us home for the holidays,” She hiccoughed into his shoulder, eyes remaining shut since she didn’t want to look at him. “T-told to strongly consider the option.”

Ben’s nostrils flared at hearing that. His posture stiffened slightly and he took a small step away from Mal, gingerly reaching a hand up to cup her chin.

“I didn’t encourage that,” He whispered when she looked up at him. “Have been actively speaking against it actually.”

“Yeah,” Mal blinked up at him. “Well it’s n-n—” She forced her jaw shut when she went to stammer and shook her head. “It hasn’t done any good. We can’t.”

“Why not?” Ben’s eyebrows furrowed together since the question earned more tears from Mal. He leaned down so he could press his forehead against hers, relaxing slightly when she didn’t recoil from his touch.

“Because.” Mal scoffed then melted into Ben’s hug, accepting it since there was something calming in his being with her during her breakdown.

“Because,” Ben raised an eyebrow, uncertain if he should ask her to elaborate or allow the words to come out in time. “We’re looking into Carlos’s case. Is there something more we should know?”

“It’s not that,” She shook her head, needing a few breaths before she spoke again. “I mean Carlos probably shouldn’t be sent back to his mother but that’s not— Our parents are… They want us to…”

“Mal,” He exhaled. “Would it be easier to—” The prince trailed off when Mal rapidly shook her head no.

“They want the wand,” She spoke in a fast whisper that left Ben looking confused. “They want the wand and I- I don’t think I want to follow through on their plan. They’re going to be pissed if we show up without it. I can’t… There’s too much other stuff going on to focus on it.”

“Forgive me for double-checking,” Ben’s eyebrows furrowed together. “But you were planning on taking Fairy Godmother’s wand?”

“No— not anymore anyway,” She shook her head then sniffled. “Well, it’s why Jay and Carlos were able to come since mum said they were useful. But— The last couple of days made me realize having evil ruin everything won’t make anything better. Things back home still need to change for the other kids though.”

“You wouldn’t have done it,” Ben was quiet after that, eyebrows still furrowed together while he thought over everything Mal said.

“What makes you say that?” Mal narrowed her eyes at him. She almost asked what would happen if she managed to but there were more important things to deal with.

“I just know,” He shrugged. “Jay, Evie, and Carlos wouldn’t want to do it either. You all have good in you. You don’t want people seeing it but it’s there deep down and I have a feeling that will aid in changing things for the better.”

“Yeah, okay,” Mal made a face. She was disappointed she didn’t have a good comeback or a proper excuse to deny what he said.

“I’m going to need all the assistance I can get from you and the others once it comes to working on making things better for the Isle,” He sighed then pressed his lips against the top of her head, needing the moment of close contact to gather his thoughts. “My father didn’t have good news this morning and I- I would prefer sharing that when Jay, Evie, and Carlos are here since it will likely affect all of you.”

“It can wait. Can’t be worse than having the suggestion of returning home,” Mal shook her head. She didn’t have time for being curious about it since making sure the king didn’t get a say in sending them home was more important. “We need to make sure we get a say on going home before I start worrying about anything else. We were thinking of having a meeting with your parents and Fairy Godmother. She said to talk to you since your dad wasn’t happy with her or something?”

“Ah,” Ben sighed. “I can definitely arrange a date for that.” He took a step away from Mal then ran his hand through his hair. “Are you sure you can handle my father though?”

“You’re forgetting who I was raised by,” Mal gave a bitter laugh. “I can handle whatever the world throws at me.”

“How soon?” Ben tilted his head. “I think he’s got a meeting with the board of directors this week so it may have to—”

“As soon as possible,” Mal shook her head. “And if it means having the infirmary mention their worries, let them. I need him knowing he can’t bully all of us into going home. It would mean we don’t come back and I — I’m not planning to let that happen without making sure we get a say in it.”

“I will see what I can do,” He whispered. “And I’ll make sure I let one of you know when we settle on a date for it. I’m so sorry it came down to this. I was not expecting my father to be as set in his ways as he is.”

“Don’t,” Mal shook her head. “It’s not your fault. We appreciate everything you have done for us so far.”

Ben nodded then stepped away from Mal. He awkwardly shoved his hands in his pockets then gave her a sideways glance.

“On an unrelated note,” He pressed his lips together to suppress a smile. “How would you feel about roping Evie into a double date? Doug and I were thinking we could visit the magic lake — Unless you two come up with a better idea?”

Mal wrinkled her nose at the thought. The Isle didn’t allow dating and her having agreed to go out with him purely stemmed from her being shocked she did not need to use magic to get him to ask her.

“I—” She opened then slowly shut her mouth. “It would be a good distraction from everything else going on. If it means needing to dress nicely, Evie will agree to go.”

“We’ll set it for Thursday assuming my father decides to put off meeting with you.” Ben murmured.

“Okay,” Mal mumbled then cautiously took hold of Ben’s hand. She squeezed his fingers when he turned to go and looked down at her feet. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Ben shook his head. “Not for anything involving the mess with my father.”

Mal released his hand and didn’t say anything, She went back to her bed once Ben shut the door and began to doodle in her sketchbook, unable to focus since there was too much on her mind.

The door opened several minutes later and Mal was met with an anxious-looking Evie, Jay, and Carlos.

“Did you t-talk to Ben?” Carlos asked and looked down at his sneakers. He had made it through Goodness Class without an emotional breakdown and was hoping Mal’s answer wouldn’t ruin what was left of his day.

“Yeah,” Mal shrugged. “He’s going to reach out to the king and get back to us. Said he had something to share with us all and I decided we’re making sure we aren’t being bullied into going home before finding out what Ben wanted to share.”

“Seems fair,” Jay pressed his tongue against his cheek. “We were thinking and… Someone’s going to have to stay behind with Carlos if we don’t end up getting the wand by the time winter break comes around.”

He cast a sideways glance in Evie’s direction, hoping that would be enough to get her to speak up. Jay stood up straighter when she didn’t.

“There’s also a mutual agreement between the three of us that going after the wand may not be the best idea,” He cringed and held his breath. Carlos stood behind Evie and shut his eyes. The three were tense, waiting for Mal to start screaming about how important getting the wand was.

“I told Ben,” Mal whispered then gave a bitter chuckle. “He said we wouldn’t go through with it. What’s your reasoning?”

“Do we really want our parents in charge of things?” Jay shrugged. “Auradon seems good and if Ben’s willing to work with us… We can probably make things better back home.”

“That change won’t come if we let any of our parents take control of Auradon,” Evie added. “All the pillaging and plundering from the villains will just turn Auradon into the Isle.”

“N-not worth it,” Carlos shook his head. “N-n-need to see if Auradon will share resources. What’d Ben say?”

“How long have you been thinking about that?” Mal scoffed. The points were too well put for them to have come up with them at that moment. “He said we wouldn’t do it. I’m half tempted to try to prove him wrong.”

“A couple of weeks,” Jay muttered and ran his hand through his hair. “Carlos and I sort of figured we would be here for the holidays since we doubt his mother would let him come back to school if he goes home.”

“I like it here too much,” Evie blushed and glanced up at Mal. “I just want to make sure we can get more kids over since it isn’t fair that the Isle gets nothing while Auradon has more than necessary.”

“And our parents?” Mal raised an eyebrow at the others. Carlos shrugged and looked back down at his feet.

“Dad can do without me until I’m able to get him over or send something back home,” Jay muttered. “I want him happy but that’d mean needing to put him through Goodness Class.”

“Do we need to go back if we don’t get it?” Evie pressed her lips together to keep from worrying them. “Honestly, Mal?”

“I don’t know,” Mal shook her head. “I- I need to see if it’s really them wanting us back or Beast attempting to get rid of us before I come up with an answer.” The others nodded upon hearing that.

“Oh,” Mal’s expression faltered. “Evie, what are you up to Thursday afternoon?”

“Studying, why?” Evie tilted her head to the side. Mal looked anxious and she had a feeling it had nothing to do with their parents.

“Ben suggested a double date with him and Doug as a way of lightening things up,” She shrugged. “I don’t do dates but… I don’t know what made me say we’d do it.”

Evie gave a shriek of excitement and placed her backpack on the back of the chair at her desk.

“Wait really? Where and — Do we get to dress up? Do I need to go fabric shopping?” The words came out in a rush. Jay and Carlos made a face then stepped away from the girls.

“Is the rest of this going to be girl-talk?” Jay wrinkled his nose. “‘Cause Carlos and I have homework to do and if we’re done talking about our parents we’ll…” He trailed off since Mal gave the first proper laugh she used all day.

“You can go,” She shook her head. “I’ll find you if I come up with any ideas in regards to the whole parent and wand situation.”

“Gotcha,” Jay nodded then turned to leave, holding the door open to allow Carlos to pass through before shutting it behind them.

The week went by with little else to worry about. The only stress the villain kids had stemmed from Ben not having an answer from his father by the time Thursday came around. Jay and Carlos sat on Evie’s bed while she applied the finishing touches to her and Mal’s makeup.

“What do you think?” Evie asked once she finished putting blush on her cheeks. She took Mal by the hand and dragged her over to where Jay and Carlos were.

Carlos and Jay exchanged a glance with each other then shrugged their shoulders. Carlos looked alarmed when Evie raised an eyebrow at him.

“N-n-nice,” He stammered. “Yeah, you look nice.” His ears went red and he looked at Jay.

“Beautiful,” Jay took a moment to check both of them out then shrugged. “But neither of you are my type.” The last statement earned a scoff from Mal and Evie.

“What?” Jay asked. “Mal you’re like a sister to me so it’d be wrong if I found you attractive.”

“And me?” Evie narrowed her eyes at him. She didn’t need his approval but that didn’t stop her from wondering about what made it so he wasn’t interested in her.

“Uh,” He tilted his head to the side. “I figured the presentation for Fairy Godmother would’ve had you all aware.” He ran his hand through his hair then cast a brief glance in Carlos’s direction. “You’ve got the wrong gender, Evie.”

“The wrong gender?” Evie wrinkled her nose. Her confusion was quickly replaced with a shocked look. “Wait, you were serious about…” She let the thought trail off since Jay made a face and rapidly nodded his head.

“Oh,” She sighed after a moment spent thinking over her words. “Okay, I suppose I can’t be offended by that.”

The conversation ended at that since there was a knock on the door. Jay jumped to his feet and grabbed the door, biting back a smirk when Ben and Doug were revealed. He took a moment to look them over, eyes narrowing once he reached Doug’s eyes.

Doug shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet. Ben gave a low chuckle and met Jay’s gaze.

“Are Evie and Mal in?” He raised an eyebrow since Jay crossed his arms over his chest.

“Yeah,” Jay didn’t move out of the doorway. “But I’m setting a couple of ground rules before you take them out.” The statement earned a groan of ‘Jay!’ from Mal and Evie then a pillow bouncing off of his shoulder.

“Okay,” Ben nodded. Doug gave a nervous chuckle and nodded as well.

“I want them back by eight and will find you if the evening ends with one or both of them crying from their hearts being broken,” Jay shrugged. “No funny business and you’re going to respect them. Understood?”

“Understood,” Ben and Doug said at the same time. The two nodded then took a step away from the door.

“Are you done?” Mal raised a brow at Jay and tapped his shoulder to get his attention. His antics were rather amusing.

“Yeah,” Jay shrugged. “But let them know I’ll give them hell if they do anything to harm either of you.”

“It’s a date,” Mal wrinkled her nose. “It can’t be anything worse than that time Anthony tried getting me to dance with him.”

“Alright,” Jay sighed. Carlos gave a low sigh and looked at Mal and Evie.

“Our girls are growing up,” He elbowed Jay and chuckled. “We should have bought a camera.”

“Shut up.” Mal grumbled. A hint of a smile was visible along the edge of her lips. She tried to suppress it but there was no use in doing so. The banter from the boys made the whole idea of a date more tolerable than before.

“Alright, go boys,” Evie pointed toward the door. “You have your own dorm to go sulk in.”

“Fine,” Jay rolled his eyes. “Don’t have too much fun without us.” He and Carlos left after that, the two throwing looks at their friends on their way out.

“What are the plans for tonight?” Mal took a step closer to Evie, needing to be near her to keep her nerves from becoming too much.

“The magic lake,” Doug offered a smile. “We have dinner planned and can go for a swim if you’re up to it.”

“One small problem with that,” Mal shook her head. “We don’t know how to swim.”

“Then you don’t need to.” Doug shrugged.

“Wait,” Ben scrunched up his nose. “You live on an island, wouldn’t swimming be something that’s taught?”

“No,” Mal shook her head. “Crocodiles in the water and the barrier limiting how far you can go. The pirates figured out how to but there wasn’t a need for it if we stuck to the mainland.”

“Ah,” Ben nodded. “Right, so no swimming for you and Evie. We’ll do dinner and we’ll have to show you the bridge that leads back to Auradon.”

“Okay,” Mal nodded. Evie offered a small smile then moved forward, standing beside Doug.

“I’m ready.” Evie grinned at Doug. She brushed her fingers over the back of his hand and had to press her lips together to keep from beaming when he took hold of her hand.

“Me too.” Mal announced after grabbing her purse. She held her breath when she locked the door to her dorm then approached Ben’s side. Evie made everything look natural. Between the smile and her holding Doug’s hand - it left her feeling more nervous than before since she hadn’t the slightest idea of what dating entailed.

Ben didn’t move to immediately take Mal’s hand, having figured she wasn’t one for public displays of affection and would reach out when she was ready. They made it out of the castle and halfway down the trail that led to the lake when he felt her fingers shift against him. The jolt of electricity from the brief contact was enough to make his feet falter.

“You’re sure?” He glanced down at Mal. A low chuckle escaped when she rolled her eyes and took his hand in hers.

“Only because I’m worried about tripping,” She mumbled and squeezed his fingers. “You should have said sneakers were necessary.”

“They aren’t,” Ben shrugged and looked at her shoes. “But point taken. You’ll appreciate those when we get to the lake though. No need for shoes once we get there.”

Their walk came to a stop when Evie gave a loud gasp. It caused Doug to pause and look at her. The bridge that led to the lake was naturally formed by a hollowed-out tree that fell over. It was held up with magic to ensure bad weather wouldn’t cause it to fall. Several vines wrapped around the sides and the sun hit it in a way that made the water beneath it sparkle. A waterfall could be heard but the source of the noise wasn’t visible from where they stood.

“It’s beautiful,” She exhaled and tugged Doug closer to her. “You should have taken me here sooner.”

Mal and Ben caught up with them and Mal pressed her lips together to mask her excitement.

“That’s safe to walk on?” Mal looked up at Ben. She had too many memories of floors and trees giving out beneath her and being sent toppling through rooftops and into mud.

“Of course,” Ben nodded. “Granted, Fairy Godmother gave it some magical assistance, but it’s perfectly sturdy.”

“You first.” Mal released his hand and crossed her arms over her chest. She doubted Ben and Doug would try tricking them and opted for remaining overly cautious. Deep down, she wouldn’t have been surprised if Ben had jokingly asked her out.

 _Why would the future king want anything to do with a child of one of the worst villains the kingdom had seen?_ The thought was brushed aside when Ben nodded and ran halfway across the bridge and took a few steps toward where she stood, holding his hand out with a wide smile.

“See?” Ben jumped a few times to show that the tree wouldn’t budge. He flashed a smile at Mal and held his arm out for her. “Come on, Mal.”

Mal narrowed her eyes at him then approached. The first five steps were slowly taken then the last that brought her to where Ben stood were a run.

“How high up are we?” Mal asked once at Ben’s side. She glanced down over the side of the bridge.

“Several feet,” Ben shrugged. “Nothing dangerous unless you’re Chad.” Doug chuckled from behind him and Mal. She turned to face them and wore a confused expression that was similar to the one Evie had.

“What did Chad do?” Evie tilted her head to the side. Mal raised an eyebrow from beside her.

“Decided to jump off,” Doug rolled his eyes. “Aziz offered him cash figuring he wouldn’t.”

“He got the cash and a cast on both his arms,” Ben chuckled at the memory. “And a stern talking to from Fairy Godmother after she made it so the bridge won’t let people jump from it.”

“No, you can fall from it,” Doug shrugged. “She just made it so magic places people safely on the other end of the bridge. Aziz was the one to figure that out.”

“Is jumping off of things something you do for fun or?” Evie raised an eyebrow at Doug. His ears went red when he shook his head.

“Not usually,” He murmured. “I don’t really have a lot of free time since I’m in the marching band.”

They traveled to the end of the bridge and Mal was the one to give an excited shriek. Evie gave a soft laugh at hearing it since Mal quickly recollected herself.

“The waterfall,” Mal’s jaw hung open for a moment. “I’ve only ever seen them in pictures.” The pictures didn’t do any justice as it was since the majority of the books on the Isle were waterlogged, ripped in pieces, or a combination of the two.

She took a step back so she was at Ben’s side, glancing up at him with a small smile. “Beautiful.”

“I figured you would appreciate it,” Ben smiled. He looked over to where Doug and Evie stood and was pleased to see the other girl had a similar expression. “One of these days we’ll have to take you to Arendelle. That kingdom has better sights to see than Auradon.”

“This is fine,” Mal shook her head. “Really. I wouldn’t have imagined this without seeing it. It’s perfect and that isn’t a word I regularly throw around.”

“Perfect,” Evie nodded in agreement. “Thank you for coming up with the idea.”

“We still haven’t gotten to dinner,” Doug reminded her. “Hold the thank you’s until after that. I hope we managed to pick out something you each like.”

“Right, dinner,” Mal grimaced. Her appetite still hadn’t gotten any better from how it was when they first got access to being able to regularly eat meals.

“Don’t worry,” Ben squeezed her hand, having sensed her unease. “I won’t be offended if you don’t like it or don’t eat some of it.”

“You’re sure about that?” Mal asked. Ben nodded and squeezed her hand in reply.

“Doug, lead the way,” Ben chuckled and ran his thumb over the back of Mal’s hand. “I think you’ll like our dinner spot just as much as the waterfall.”

“Debatable.” She laughed softly then shook her head. “I’m not really big on food.”

“And I’m willing to jump into the lake fully clothed if I don’t prove you wrong.” Ben flashed a grin at her.

“Careful Benjamin,” Mal narrowed her eyes at him. “Those are dangerous words and I’ll hold you to it.”

“Surely you know I keep my word by now.” Ben shrugged, a small smile appearing when Mal laughed again.

“Here,” Doug announced and let go of Evie’s hand. They arrived at an ornate looking gazebo with a large blanket taking up the center and four pillows around a picnic basket. He went into the gazebo and began to get dinner ready, placing the dishes of food on the wooden sitting area along the structure.

Ben cautiously set out a few beverage pitchers and cups on the other side of the gazebo then paused to let classical music play from his phone. Mal and Evie looked on with a curious expression.

“M’lady,” Ben offered his arm to Mal. “Dinner is served. May I lead you to your seat?” Mal gave a nod of her head then wrapped her arm around his, allowing him to lead her to the inside of the gazebo. They were surrounded by water with a simple path leading back toward where the school was. The combination of music and afternoon sun left her with butterflies in her stomach.

“May I?” Doug extended his hand to Evie. She blushed and slipped her fingers in his. The two sat across from Ben and Mal.

“This is nice, isn’t it, Mal?” Evie asked. Mal nodded then glanced around the gazebo to see what the boys grabbed for food. She was surprised to see a large amount of fruit, vegetables, and soup.

“I wasn’t sure what you would want,” Ben whispered to Mal. “So I went with a little bit of everything. I hope it isn’t too much.”

“It isn’t,” She shook her head. “I- You’ve got me at a loss for words.” Evie raised an eyebrow upon hearing that.

“Mal at a loss for words?” She chuckled. “I have to admit that’s a first. I’d take that as a good sign, Ben.”

The four grabbed a plate of food each and were quiet while eating. Mal was left wrinkling her nose at a strawberry that was on her plate, having accidentally grabbed it when she went for a piece of banana and apple.

“You okay, M?” Evie asked and tilted her head. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.”

“Do you want it?” Mal made a face and offered the fruit to Evie, looking offended when she shook her head no.

“What’s wrong with it?” Ben asked from beside her. Mal sighed loudly and pulled the plate back toward herself.

“Nothing,” She whispered. “The Isle doesn’t get that type of fruit though. I’d rather stick to what I know.”

“It’s a strawberry,” Ben picked up the one that was on his plate. “They’re quite sweet. Mrs. Potts used to serve it with a little bit of cream and sugar on it.”

Mal sniffed at the air then brought the strawberry to her mouth, cautiously taking a small bite from it. She chewed, swallowed, then took another bite.

“See?” Evie groaned. “I told you they were good. Almost all the fruit they have is better than what we got at home.”

“I didn’t say it was good,” Mal scoffed. “But I guess I’ll take another one.”

“What did I tell you?” Ben chuckled. His expression faltered when the music stopped playing from his phone. There was a pause then the wood his phone rested against began to rattle from a phone call coming in. He jumped to his feet and looked at the caller ID.

“It’s my father,” He looked Mal in the eye. “I need to take it.” With that said, he stepped out of the gazebo and walked until he was out of earshot. Evie and Mal exchanged worried looks, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore.


	17. I can’t breathe and I can’t smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben gets off the phone and reveals his father said he could meet with the villain kids, giving them about thirty minutes before they were expected to see him. The teens accept the challenge and end up face-to-face with Adam, Ben, Belle, and Fairy Godmother. Carlos reveals something Mal and Evie weren’t aware of about him and Belle brings up her husband’s plan of thinning out the villain bloodline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: Discussions about child abuse and general mistreatment of people are present in this chapter. Read at your own risk.

Mal and Evie remained silent the whole time Ben was on the phone. Doug didn’t say anything since Ben had partially filled him in about the meetings from the weekend. He wasn’t given a full story but knew that the villain kids wanted to talk to the king and the king was avoiding creating a meeting.

The only thing he did was move closer to Evie when she reached out for his arm, shifting so s/he could properly hold her hand.

Ben looked grim once he hung the phone up and returned to the gazebo. He pressed his tongue against his cheek and took a deep breath before he looked Mal in the eye.

“I have good news and bad news,” He murmured and stuck his phone back in his pocket. “Which do you want first?”

“The good I guess,” Mal sighed. “Then you can go right into the bad.”

“You’re not going to like it,” Ben shook his head. He needed another three breaths before he was able to share the news. “My father called. He is willing to meet with you and the others.”

“How is that the good news?” Evie asked with a small frown, eyebrows furrowing together since she didn’t want to talk to Ben’s father.

“You have a little over thirty minutes to spare before he wants to talk to you,” Ben grimaced. “We need to go now if you want time to get to the dorms and prep the boys.”

“For Hades’s sake,” Mal groaned and jumped to her feet. “Why so soon?”

“I think he was expecting me to say that wouldn’t work,” Ben shook his head. “But no. He said 6:00. It’s 5:25. I can see if Mrs. Potts and Lumiere can drag dinner out.” His mother hadn’t returned from his grandfather’s so the next thing on his list was calling to make sure she was present.

“Do you need anything from me before I make a few calls to ensure the people we need are there?” He bit his lip and turned to Mal.

“You’ll be there?” Mal whispered. Ben nodded then she took a step closer to him, pulling him in for a hug. The two remained close for a moment before Mal let go, shaking her head once she stepped back.

“Then I don’t need anything,” She murmured and grabbed Evie’s hand. “You get the boys, I’m gonna try to clean my face off. I want them to see me as me. It’s too serious a talk for trying to look the part they want us playing.”

“Okay,” Evie nodded. “You know where the cleansers are. Make sure you put a little moisturizer—”

“We don’t have time for this,” Mal interrupted, then looked back at Ben and Doug. “Thank you for dinner and sorry we couldn’t properly finish it. We’ll have to reschedule. Where does he want to talk?”

“The same room the breakfast was held in,” Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. “Not my ideal location but that’s better than him refusing to hear from you at all.”

“As in a second date?” Doug laughed nervously. Mal and Evie nodded then took off running back toward the school. “Alright, I’ve got the cleanup here. Go make those calls and good luck tonight.”

Evie was panting by the time she reached the boys’ dorm, pounding on the door while she tried to catch her breath.  Carlos slowly opened the door, visibly relaxing when it was Evie on the other side.

“Goblins, E,” He gasped out and set his game controller down. “You scared the snot out of me.” Evie stepped in and looked around the room. Jay was nowhere to be found.

“Shit,” Evie groaned then pulled the magic mirror out of her purse, looking over her appearance. “Where’s Jay?”

“Showering,” Carlos wrinkled his nose and pointed at the bathroom door. “Why do you ask?”

“We have twenty minutes before we talk to the king,” Evie paused to check what Carlos was wearing. “Your curls are all over the place and you probably want to put pants on.”

“D-D-Didn’t Mal say there wasn’t..?” Carlos trailed off when Evie shook her head. He ran his fingers through his hair and wrinkled his nose, knowing she was right since he was down to wearing a sleep shirt and boxers.

“Beast made a last minute meeting,” Evie rolled her eyes. “Ben thinks he wasn’t expecting him to say we would be there.”

“Dalmatians,” Carlos muttered under his breath then put a pair of shorts on. He looked back toward the bathroom door and wrinkled his nose. “Should I tell him to hurry up?”

“Give him another couple of minutes,” She shrugged. “He’s almost as bad as I am when it comes to hair care routines.” Carlos chuckled at that. His smile was quickly replaced with a worried look.

“Wh-Wh-What are we supposed to say?” He asked and bit his lower lip. “I-I-I d-don’t like the idea of…”

“Pup, you won’t need to talk if you don’t want to,” Evie sighed. “Remember? We can do it for you.”

“Y-Y-Yeah,” Carlos whimpered. “B-But I don’t want them thinking I’m w-w-weak either.”

“They won’t think that,” She tried to reassure him. “Not if Mal mentions that going home isn’t the best option that we have.”

“I’ll have to say something,” Carlos whispered. “I-I-I’ll figure it out.” Evie nodded then approached the bathroom door and knocked on it.

“Jay, hurry up,” She spoke loud enough to be heard over the running water, looking rather impressed when the shower shut off. “We need to go.”

There was no answer but she could hear him rummaging around one of the counters. He came out in his pajamas and had his hair wrapped up in a towel.

“How was the date?” He blinked confusedly. “And where are we going?”

“We’ll talk later about that,” Evie shook her head. “You’re gonna need to toss actual clothes on. Beast decided he’s meeting with us tonight. Mal should be here any second to head down with us.”

“What?” Jay groaned. “But she said he hadn’t answered last time I asked.” Evie frowned and gave her head another shake.

“Well he changed his mind,” She grumbled. “Ben thinks he was expecting him to say we wouldn’t be able to do it tonight. It sort of ruined the date.”

“Right,” He sighed and opened up his closet, looking for something that would be appropriate for having to speak in front of the royal family. Jay changed his clothes then turned to face Evie and Carlos. “Will this work?”

“It’s better than your pajamas,” Evie shrugged. “So I guess so. I wish we had more time since we could better prepare what we want to say.”

“We can bring up being expected to steal the wand,” Jay mused. “The disappointment that’ll be thrust at us if we return home empty handed should be enough to make them consider not having us leave.”

“I hope so,” She whispered. “Do we have anything worse than that to give them another reason to think about it?”

She and Jay looked at Carlos. The younger teen shifted uncomfortably then shook his head.

“N-N-N-No,” He winced. “They know about my ear. I d-don’t want to bring up anything else.”

“See if you can come up with something,” Jay took a step closer to Carlos. “Doesn’t have to be anything major but she definitely didn’t treat you kindly.”

Carlos nodded and didn’t say anything else. He wrapped his arms around his middle then looked down at the floor, whispering when he spoke again. “I’ll think about it.”

An uncomfortable silence settled over the three while they waited for Mal to arrive. They each released a sigh of relief when she burst through the door.

“I got it,” She announced then pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “We’re bringing up the expectation of bringing back the wand and embellishing our parents’ threats of what will happen if we go back empty handed.”

“See?” Jay asked then took the towel off his head, nose wrinkling since his hair was still dripping a little. “Told you that’s the best approach.”

“Unless they come up with something else to pick on,” Mal sighed. “Carlos we may need you to bring up your mother.”

Carlos whimpered and nodded instead of saying anything. He didn’t like the idea of being used as an example but his mother had done unspeakable things to him.

“Ready?” Mal asked and looked each of them in the eye. She whispered Carlos’s name when she couldn’t catch his gaze.

“Ready,” Carlos nodded. Evie and Jay nodded as well. Mal left the room and the other three followed. Carlos took hold of Jay and Evie’s hands, using their touch as a way of keeping from freaking out over the potential turn the meeting would take.

They were silent when they arrived in the gathering hall. Mal kept her head held up high and walked to the set of seats that were across from the royal family and Fairy Godmother. There were no tables and the chairs were set up in a circle. Lumiere stood at a podium and held up a notebook and pen for the teens to see. The most peculiar thing was Ben and Fairy Godmother being sat in between the king and queen.

Mal locked eyes with Ben when she sat down and he gave her a nervous smile. Carlos released Jay and Evie’s hands then nervously took a seat. The teens sat in their usual formation of Evie and Carlos in the middle and Mal and Jay on the outside.

Evie took hold of Carlos’s hand since she could tell he was anxious. His foot was tapping against the ground and he was mouthing the periodic table. She squeezed his hand and he flinched, looking at her with a confused expression.

“We’ll be fine,” She whispered to him. “You’ve got me, Jay, and Mal. We aren’t going to let anything bad happen.”

“I hope you are right,” Carlos murmured. He continued to tap his foot and occasionally squeezed Evie’s hand.

“Good evening,” The king cleared his throat. The four teens tossed a glance in his direction and didn’t answer him. “My apologies for the short notice on tonight’s meeting. Last minute opening in my schedule.”

The teens didn’t react to what he said. Mal and Jay kept a stoic expression. Evie looked disinterested in what he was saying and Carlos kept his gaze toward the ground.

“Remind me what we are here for,” Adam looked at Mal. She was spared answering since Ben spoke instead.

“The transfer students from the Isle are concerned about the suggestion of them going home for the holidays,” Ben announced. “We believe it may not be in their best interest.”

“I see,” The king’s gaze shifted from Mal to Jay. Jafar’s kid narrowed his eyes at him and didn’t say anything. “Why is that?”

“Did our parents send a letter?” Evie asked. “I’ve been regularly sending letters to my mother but I have not received anything back from her.”

“They reached out via email,” He shrugged. “I’m merely the messenger.” There was a beat of silence where Jay and Carlos looked at each other. Another moment, then the two shook their heads.

“That’s not true,” Carlos mumbled. Evie squeezed his hand and he looked up at Fairy Godmother, speaking a little louder when he continued. “There isn’t enough service on the Isle for the message to make it here. The d-d-dome won’t allow anything besides Auradon approved messages through. I was only able to put a hole in it for a few seconds then it got rid of the signal.”

“Hole?” Fairy Godmother mouthed the word, head tilting at what Carlos said. He offered her an innocent smile and shrugged.

“Maleficent doesn’t know how to use a refrigerator and we have our parents on video trying to figure out how to work the device that let them talk to us,” Jay added with a shake of his head. “Father’s never been good with technology. Cruella can’t tell you what day of the week it is most days and Evie’s mom doesn’t approve of using a television for longer than fifteen minutes. The idea of any of them sending anything is illogical.”

“I want to see it,” Mal announced when Jay finished. “Where it’s our parents we have a right to look at it.”

The king didn’t say anything at first. He shifted so he could rummage through his pockets. Nothing came up so he stared at Mal for a moment then spoke.

“I am afraid I do not have my phone on me,” He answered. “Otherwise I would pull up the information I received.”

“We aren’t going,” Jay shook his head. “We won’t be welcomed back if we go home.”

“I am certain your parents miss you,” The king spoke over Jay. “They expressed an interest in having you return for the holidays since they weren’t able to visit for Family Weekend.”

“They would have told us that when we talked,” Mal spoke through gritted teeth. “Mother didn’t mention us going home anytime soon. She won’t want anything to do with me or the others if we return empty handed.”

“What do you mean by empty handed?” Beast raised a brow at her. Mal looked to Ben for reassurance and took a deep breath.

“The only reason the four of us were sent over without our parents throwing a fit was so we could steal Fairy Godmother’s wand and bring it to Maleficent,” She narrowed her eyes at the king. “I figured Ben would have mentioned that to you.”

Her words earned a gasp from Belle and Fairy Godmother. The king looked angry but was not given a chance to make it known since Jay spoke up.

“We would have gotten it by now if we planned on following through with that scheme,” He murmured. “Auradon has left us aware we aren’t our parents and giving them the wand is an awful idea. That doesn’t change the work that needs to be done to make the Isle more livable for its inhabitants.”

“I should send you all home for plotting it,” The king growled out. Carlos bit back a whimper and Evie wrapped an arm around him. Jay and Mal shook their heads.

“You won’t,” Ben glowered at his father. “Not if I have anything to say about it.” He didn’t want to overstep and risk his father deciding against giving the throne up but he also needed to make it clear the four teens wouldn’t be going anywhere unless they approved.

“I won’t stand for it,” Fairy Godmother added. “They have maintained A averages in their courses and are proving to be a great addition to the school.”

“I won’t come back if you send me home,” Carlos whispered. The adults didn’t catch what he said and were busy arguing among themselves. Jay looked down at Carlos and raised an eyebrow at him. They communicated silently and the exchange ended with Carlos shaking his head no and Jay giving a groan of annoyance.

“Great additions to the school that were scheming to steal your wand,” Adam shook his head. “I can’t have that in Auradon.”

“You’re forgetting some of them have Auradon blood in them,” Belle’s words caused the teens to look at her. “Say what you want, Adam. I’m siding with Ben on this one.”

“Auradon blood,” Evie wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean, some of us have Auradon—”

“Enough,” The king growled. A smirk formed over his lips when the teens jumped and sent their chairs backwards. “I will be writing home to let them know the plot for the wand has gotten you banned from Auradon.”

“Father,” Ben hissed out. “I will not allow you to—” He trailed off since the king balled his hand into a fist.

Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos didn’t know what to say or do. Words would likely make the situation worse. They all had an unfamiliar sensation of dread in their stomach that left them feeling sick at the thought of being sent back home to the Isle.

The king, queen, and Fairy Godmother were bickering and the teens appeared to have been temporarily forgotten by them. Lumiere gave an exasperated sigh from the podium and scanned over the notes he took.

Jay was the first of the Isle teens to do anything. He nudged Carlos with his elbow and didn’t stop until he looked at him.

“Carlos,” Jay hissed out through gritted teeth. Both hands were clenched into fists at his side. He was ready to scream at the top of his lungs. The only thing keeping him from doing so was the knowledge that they needed to give a decent impression.

Carlos gave Jay a blank stare, eyes wide once he met his friend’s gaze.

“Take your shirt off,” Jay whispered. The request earned a shake of Carlos’ head. “Please.” The plea came out a little louder and was accompanied by a wince. “It may be the only—“

His words were interrupted by the king clearing his throat. “I believe this brings the meeting to an end.”

Jay cast another pleading look in Carlos’ direction. The younger teen held his breath and raised a trembling hand to slip his jacket off, allowing it to drop to the ground. It was terrifying but would prove to be necessary in making it clear he wouldn’t come back if sent home for the winter holiday.

A deep breath was needed then Carlos stood up and turned his back on the adults. He needed another breath before he managed to cautiously lift his shirt up until the scarring on his back was revealed.

Fairy Godmother, Belle, Lumiere and Ben gave horrified gasps. Evie and Mal wore identical looks of confusion. They looked at the adults then discovered what their gazes were on.

“Holy shit,” Mal exhaled. Evie was at a loss for words, eyes wide at the scarred letters on Carlos’s back.

His flesh was littered with burn marks. The most prominent section was where cigarette burns formed the word ‘RUNT’ with a terribly painful looking streak that underlined it.

“N-n-no. That can’t be... Can’t be—“ Mal winced and didn’t bother with hiding her tears. She gave Jay a panicked look. “Did you know?”

“The two weeks where he went missing. You had me check in on him,” Jay whispered and shook his head. “He didn’t want you and Evie to know.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Mal hiccoughed. “I would have made sure he wasn’t going back to that monster.” Evie could be heard sobbing beside her.

Carlos shut his eyes, squeezing them tight while he tried to block out the noise around him. He managed to stand up tall and dug his teeth roughly into his lips to keep from sobbing about letting his secret out.

The secret was one that he shouldered for months, silent because of a threat his mother made against him once things began to heal. He allowed another minute to pass and lowered his shirt back down, shaking when he turned back around. His gaze was on his feet.

Carlos moved closer to Jay then took hold of his hand. He squeezed his fingers around Jay’s and forced himself to look up at the horrified looking adults, glaring deeply at the king.

“She said my face would be next if anyone found out,” His voice didn’t shake when he spoke. Anger was clearly heard in his tone and tears sprung from his eyes. “I won’t survive the winter if sent back to her.”

Carlos released Jay’s hand then bent down to pick up his jacket, ignoring Mal and Evie’s looks of concern when he slipped his jacket on and left the room, quickly heading back toward the dorm.

“I hope you’re happy,” Jay scowled at Beast. “I would say you’re just as bad as his mother for having allowed that to go on but it makes you even worse. Cruella isn’t the only parent that relies on severe punishments as a way of keeping control of their kid. There are more children like him back home since the crown didn’t think we were worth checking on.”

No one said anything after that so Jay rolled his eyes. “We’re done here for today and I believe you owe Carlos an apology.”

“Belle,” Evie sniffled. “What did you mean by ‘some of us have Auradon blood?’”

“Why don’t you tell them,  _ father _ ?” Ben glanced at his dad and watched him out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t happy with the anger he had toward the villains’ children.

Adam blanched and shook his head. “Nothing important.” The words came out in a whisper and earned glares from Jay and Evie.

“That doesn’t sound like something that isn’t important,” Jay spoke through gritted teeth. “Spill.”

Evie and Mal narrowed their eyes at the king, hoping the anger that fueled their glares would be enough to make him crack.

“Isn’t it getting too late?” The king’s attempt at changing the subject was ruined by Belle giving an annoyed groan.

“Apparently there has been an attempt at thinning out the evil bloodline,” She murmured. “Being that Mal and Carlos were right in thinking something was off about some of the children that were born on the Isle.”

Evie and Jay looked at Mal, confusion evident in their expressions, then slowly looked back at the queen.

“What does that mean?” Mal asked in an almost whisper, her voice surprisingly calm after the tears that fell. 

“Adam decided a sperm bank with donors from Auradon was more important than setting up a hospital,” Belle’s voice shook when she spoke. “I was left unaware of that until earlier this week and assure you Ben and I will be looking into taking the proper steps to rectify the situation.”

The three teens exchanged a glance, trying to wrap their head around what was said. Evie shook her head then risked speaking up.

“So you’re saying there’s a chance of some of us being half Auradon, half Isle instead of fully belonging to the Isle?” She pressed her lips together to suppress a frown once she looked at the king. “You knew what you were doing and you left the Isle’s citizens without the items necessary for staying alive?”

“Even my mother wouldn’t have gone to that sort of extreme,” Mal shook her head. Her mother didn’t love her but she had enough sense to make sure her people survived as a way of keeping their favor. “You failed your own people.”

She risked looking at Ben and pressed her lips together to mask the whirlwind of emotions that pooled in her stomach.

“How long until Ben’s coronation?” Jay narrowed his eyes at the king. “And can we make sure he doesn’t do anything worse before then?”

“A week,” Belle answered. “And I will be taking charge of the Isle until then. Starting off with finding the paperwork on the civilians that partook in my husband’s experiment.”

“We hope to start bringing more children over in January,” Ben murmured. “Along with sending over better food and materials. Then we can start working on something more substantial.”

“And your father?” Mal arched an eyebrow. Belle and Ben exchanged an uneasy look with one another.

“My father,” Ben pressed his lips together in an attempt to hide his nervousness. “What about him?”

“What happens to him once kids start finding out they have a parent in Auradon? He took royal blood and left it to rot on the Isle. That’s…” She paused to search for the right word. “Despicable.”

Ben looked back at his mother and pressed his lips into a thin line. He didn’t have an answer but Mal had a point. Had it been a villain that did it, they would have earned a one way ticket to the Isle.

“I still haven’t worked that out,” Ben pressed his tongue against his cheek when he finished speaking then took a deep breath. “For now it’s no more royal decrees from him and needing to find the information about his little  _ project _ .”

“I’d say toss him to the Isle so he can experience what he doomed us to,” Jay forced out a few chuckles. “But the villains are too good for him.”

“Way too good when compared to what he did,” Mal shook her head then stood up. She didn’t bother with saying a thank you when she left the room, promptly turning on her heel once certain it was just her, Evie, and Jay in the hallway.

“You should have told us,” She bit out, unable to look at Jay since that would mean her calm tone quickly switching to a yell. “How long has he—”

“Eight months, Mal,” Jay shook his head. “He made me promise I wouldn’t say anything. Too serious of a situation to have risked you or your mom intervening.

“She could have killed him,” Mal spat out. “One step taken too far and it would have been—”

“I assure you I have been aware of that, Mal,” He spoke through gritted teeth. “Why else would I have focused on getting to know Diego, Jace, and Harry the last couple of months when we were home?”

“I don’t know,” She pinched the bridge of her nose and shot a glare in his direction. “I assumed you had gone soft and am starting to think I was right in assuming you cared about him when we first let him join our ranks.”

“You would have caught on if you listened to what he shouted in his sleep instead of getting annoyed at his nightmares,” Jay muttered. “He didn’t want you and Evie making a big deal out of things.”

“A big deal?” Mal groaned. “You mean he didn’t want me getting involved or the risk of me getting my mother involved?”

“I don’t know, but he was bordering on tears when I said I’d keep it a secret,” Jay shook his head. “That’s the worst she’s done. I would’ve said something if she did anything else.”

“No more secrets after this,” Mal crossed her arms over her chest. “Especially knowing we have to tell him what Belle said.”

“No more secrets,” Jay nodded. “I’ve got damage control for tonight since I have a feeling he won’t want to see either of you.”

“Right,” Evie frowned. Carlos was always on the anxious side anytime his mother was involved. “Let him know I’m not upset with him for keeping things a secret.”

“I guess I’m not mad either,” Mal shrugged. “I am serious about saying no more secrets between us though.”

“I’ll tell him,” He murmured. “And I’ll let you know how he is in the morning. Don’t be surprised if it turns into his not going to classes.”

“Have a good night, Jay,” Evie murmured when they reached his dorm. “You know where to find us if it turns into his not having gone back to your room.”

Jay shrugged at what she said and ducked into the bedroom, leaving Mal and Evie in the hall. The girls cast a worried glance at the doorway then went to their room.

“So one of our parents could be from here,” Evie wrinkled her nose once back in their dorm. “Maybe mother was right about insisting I’m a princess.”

Mal dug her teeth into her lower lip and shook her head, earning a weird look from Evie.

“You okay?” Evie asked, her expression faltering when Mal shrugged her shoulders and kept quiet. “I know it’s a lot to wrap my head around. Must be the same for you.”

“Not for me,” Mal gave another shake of her head. “I already know who my dad is.”

“Seriously?” Evie tilted her head to the side. “May I ask who or is that something you’d rather not share?”

“I’ll share,” Mal muttered. “But you can’t tell the boys. I’ll lose Jay over it if he finds out I told you before him.”

“Didn’t you just make him promise no more secrets?” Evie raised an eyebrow at her. Mal nodded and shrugged her shoulders.

“Yeah, but this one is something that doesn’t need to be spread,” She paused to look Evie in the eyes. “Hades is my father.”

“You’re kidding.” Evie slowly shut her mouth, the look of disbelief lasting for a few seconds.

“I wouldn’t joke about that,” Mal shook her head. “He left me and mom when I was a baby. Occasionally checked in on me. I had to pretend I didn’t know who he was since mom found me with letters from him she had hid.”

She rubbed the back of her neck after speaking. It was the one time her mother made her pass out for something that didn’t involve accidentally not meeting her expectations.

“She didn’t appreciate my finding out on my own terms,” She laughed softly. “I think she was trying to play it off as his not giving a shit about me.”

“Hades though,” Evie raised an eyebrow and looked up from her mirror, having started on removing her makeup. “As in god of the dead?”

“God of the dead,” Mal grimaced. “He and mom dated on and off then I came along and ruined that. He never came to any of my birthdays or said hi or… anything. I still wonder if that was my doing or mother’s doing.”

“Makes me almost grateful I don’t know who mine is,” Evie murmured. “I used to hope he would show up and rescue me from mom on the days she pretended to be her magic mirror. That was always when she was at her worst when it came to my appearance.”

“Now there’s the added bonus of not knowing if he’s from the Isle or from Auradon.” Mal chuckled and rolled her eyes.

“Oh no,” Evie shook her head. “He has to be from here. Mom would have wanted the best and that wouldn’t have come from the Isle. Plus, your mother is the only other person besides me that is allowed to get into her personal space. She would have ripped the guy’s head off.”

“I didn’t realize your mother was that much of a savage.” Mal grinned. “Has she always been like a praying mantis?”

“Worse on her bad days,” Evie grumbled. “She was awful when she didn’t get her way but I’m grateful we have a good relationship. Do you think Ben will allow the kids with a parent that’s over here transfer to the school?”

“I don’t know,” Mal answered and changed into her pajamas. “It would be the right thing to do but they’re asking for more emotional baggage than what we came over with.”

“You’re right about that,” Evie made a face then changed into her nightgown. “I hope Carlos is ready to talk to us tomorrow.”

“Me too,” Mal sighed. She walked across the room and turned off the light. “Evil dreams.”

“Evil dreams.” Evie gave a soft laugh, waiting until after Mal was in bed to shut her lamp off.


	18. This Better Be Worth My While

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The week leading up to Ben’s coronation causes the villain kids to feel extra anxious. Mal can’t shake the feeling that something bad will happen on the coronation day.

The week leading up to Ben’s coronation was fueled by excitement. With no classes on Friday, the students seemed extra enthusiastic about making it through the week. They could be heard talking about what they wanted to wear and who they were going with any time they had a break between classes.

Things were a little different for the teens from the Isle. Carlos spent the weekend, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday hiding in his dorm room. Jay, Evie, and Mal picked a day to get cell phones set up — not that they expected to use them — and settled on getting a red one for Carlos. The immediacy texting provided was the thing that convinced Mal to give in and get one.

She kept in touch with Ben through texting and things were calm for the first few days of the week — far calmer than she could appreciate since something felt off. It could have been their secrets being out but that should have come with more of a relief than the feeling of anxiousness that pooled in her chest.

The girls arrived outside the boys’ dorm once they got an okay to come over from Carlos. Evie used Wednesday evening as an excuse to make sure everyone’s outfits fit properly. She didn’t feel a lot of excitement toward the coronation but wanted to make sure everyone looked good. The arms full of clothes between her and Mal earned a chuckle from Jay when he answered the door.

“Planning on moving in?” He arched a brow and stepped aside to allow the two in. Evie gave a low scoff then laid the boys’ outfits on Jay’s bed. Mal mumbled something under her breath then laid her and Evie’s gowns over the side of Jay’s chair.

“Wouldn’t we have been in here for a few weeks if we decided that was the case?” Evie laughed softly. “But no, I need you to try the suit on and make sure everything is presentable for Friday.”

There was a pause while Evie risked looking over at Carlos. He hadn’t acknowledged her or Mal and appeared to be reading on his bed. Knowing he had a skill of pretending to read in the hope that he was ignored left her cautious about approaching. She pressed her tongue against her cheek then released an unsteady breath, taking a few steps toward him so she cast a shadow over his book.

“Hey,” He grimaced and sat upright, cautiously closing up his book. Nervous glances were thrown in Mal and Evie’s direction. He wrapped his arms around his middle after setting the book beside him. “I was reading.”

“Good to see you too, ‘Los,” Evie offered a small smile in an attempt at showing she had no hurt feelings. “Are you feeling up to trying on your outfit for Ben’s coronation?”

“We’re still going to that?” He groaned and got out of bed. A look of annoyance contorted his features until he reached where the outfits were. “Wow. This one looks so much better in person.”

“Doesn’t it?” Evie beamed from the other end of the room. “Now try it on. I even made a matching one for Dude.”

“You didn’t,” Carlos gasped. His eyes widened when Evie held up a piece of fabric that was identical to the shirt he would be wearing. “No way.”

“I figured he would be coming if you end up going,” Evie shrugged. “So it made sense to dress him up like you.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Carlos whispered. “Do you mind changing him while I…?” He tilted his head toward the bathroom, still feeling awfully self-conscious about changing in front of everyone even though his secret was out.

“Of course.” Evie nodded. “The buttons should survive your playing with them — I had Mal tack a spell on them to keep them in place so they don’t break off if you fidget with them.”

“There’s a spell for that?” Jay tilted his head to the side. Mal rolled her eyes and gave a soft laugh.

“There’s a spell for everything,” She shook her head. “I’m still trying to figure out the more practical ones though.”

“But you found the clothes one?” He looked rather impressed. “What else are you able to do?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Mal shrugged. “I don’t want to rely on it but wish there were more… I don’t know, mom’s book is a little dark outside of spells for making someone look good.”

“What about the library?” Carlos called from the bathroom. Jay and Evie gave a low laugh at his suggestion.

“Because they’d totally keep that sort of stuff out in the open,” Mal grumbled. “They’re probably locked up in the museum.”

“Wouldn’t hurt to look,” He mumbled and stepped out of the bathroom. He kept his hands in the pockets of his blazer. “I like it.”

“Only like it?” Evie arched an eyebrow at him. Carlos shrugged his shoulders then looked at Dude.

“Okay, now you’ve outdone yourself.” He chuckled and knelt down, grinning when Dude came to his side. “Who’s a good boy?”

“Jay?” Evie turned to the other teen. Jay wrinkled his nose and poked his head into the bathroom to get a glimpse of himself. He ran his hand through his hair when he came back.

“Hair back in a bun,” He shrugged. “Will the black sneakers work or are you wanting me to find a different pair of shoes?”

“They’re fine. I’m trying to keep from wasting materials and using looks that can be adapted for the next event that requires formal dress,” Evie shook her head. “Carlos you’re not just saying you like the look to keep me happy, right?”

“Huh?” Carlos looked up from petting Dude then rapidly shook his head. “N-No, promise. P-Pants though?”

He didn’t necessarily have a preference toward shorts but they were the only clothes he had back on the Isle so he was used to them.

“Well yeah,” Evie shrugged. “You’ll probably need them for the winter holidays. I don’t want them thinking we’re going to adapt to their wasteful lifestyle of only wearing things once so I’m working with outfits that are easily adaptable for other occasions.”

“Makes sense,” Carlos shrugged. “Good thinking. They’re just…” His ears went bright red and he looked down at his feet. “The first ones I’ve properly been given.”

“Do you need anything else while I’m at it?” Evie pulled her notebook from her pocket and looked Jay over once more. “Nothing to fix on yours. Carlos, I’m shocked I got the pant length right with you.”

“N-N-N-No,” He gave another shake of his head. “I’ve got enough to get by. D-D-Don’t need anything else.” 

He could easily recall his mother screaming at him for asking for clothes that were in better shape than what she provided for him. The rule was not to ask for anything and to seem appreciative if Cruella decided he behaved well enough to earn something that was in better condition than the few things that were properly his. Most moments of kindness from his mother were quickly destroyed by her taking the item back and mocking him for thinking she liked him enough to give him anything.

“You’re certain about that?” Evie asked. Carlos nodded his head then looked down at his outfit, mumbling when he spoke. “Are we d-doing dinner tonight?”

The question earned a smile and a nod from Jay. He looked relieved at knowing Carlos was hungry enough to no longer rely on smuggled fruit or bags of pretzels as meals.

“Definitely,” Jay grinned. “But I think we’re supposed to get a look at Evie and Mal’s dresses before that.”

“Yeah, I need a second opinion on the bottom of Mal’s dress,” Evie murmured. “Can you toss it on Mal?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mal rolled her eyes then grabbed the purple gown from Jay’s bed. “I think it’s fine but if you insist.” She disappeared into the bathroom then came out a moment later, nose wrinkling when she reached Jay and Carlos.

She slowly spun around to give them a view of her outfit, narrowing her eyes at Jay once she was facing him again.

“Needs more—” Carlos tilted his head to the side while he tried to find the right word. “More of the webbing material underneath it.” He got quiet and looked away from Mal since she shifted her gaze to him.

“So it has more of a shape to the b-b-bottom.” His face went red and he quickly looked back up at Mal. “You l-look lovely as usual.”

“You mean tulle?” Evie asked, beaming when Carlos mumbled ‘yes.’ “I can get that done for tonight. Of course, mine looks good but I’ll happily model it. Then we can grab dinner - Well, after I drop me and Mal’s back into our dorm. You’ve got space in your closets for yours?”

“We haven’t touched the closets so I’d assume yes.” Jay shrugged. He had opted for placing the clothes he regularly wore in the dresser that was attached to it since he didn’t plan on ever wearing one of the school uniforms.

Evie gave a nod then went to the bathroom to change, leaving Mal, Jay, and Carlos staring at each other.

“Alright,” Mal sighed then looked at Carlos. “How are you feeling? And no bullshit of just saying fine.”

Carlos flinched since his original plan involved shrugging and not saying anything. He shook his head when he recovered from the involuntary action and bit his lower lip.

“Okay,” He settled on saying. “N-n-nothing to complain about.” Mal raised an eyebrow at him and he curled into himself. “M-m-mum would’ve k-killed me if you knew.”

Mal lowered her eyebrow and gave a loud sigh, running her hand through her hair before she allowed her look to soften into something that didn’t make it seem like she was glaring at him.

“I’m not mad,” Mal pressed her lips together to suppress a frown and took a step closer to Carlos. “Not even disappointed, so you don’t have anything to worry about with me or Evie.”

“You’re not lying?” Carlos whispered and dug his teeth into his lower lip to keep it from quivering, eyeing Mal with a wary expression.

“Considering you’re still alive,” Mal gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah, I’m positive. I think you may have been right in having Jay as your confidant. I would’ve been ready to kill her.”

“I d-didn’t mean to m-make you cry,” He mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck. “D-did I miss anything in class?”

“Seriously?” Mal wrinkled her nose. “You’re asking about class? Pretty sure Fairy Godmother would be willing to give you free A’s for the whole semester after what you—” She trailed off since the bathroom door opened, expression faltering before she forced a mask of disinterest. “No, nothing class wise. Fairy Godmother didn’t have us do anything.”

“That’s kind of a lie,” Evie shrugged, then spun in a circle to show her dress off. “She had us practice meditating and showed us where the counseling office is.”

“Yeah, and she got rid of our needing to do one meeting to stay in Auradon expectation since she’s pissed at the king,” Jay added and rolled his eyes. “She did say to consider it though.”

Carlos didn’t say anything, opting to dig his teeth into his lips while he tried to find something to say about what they shared.

“They won’t want me,” He shook his head. “There’s t-too much shit in my head to think someone else could…”

Jay walked across the room and sat beside Carlos, taking a moment to look over Evie before he spoke.

“They won’t want me either but I think talking to someone may help,” He shrugged and quickly changed the subject. “Evie that gown is beautiful.”

“One of my best,” She laughed then gave another twirl. “I’m thinking I’ll add a cape to it for the holiday season. Same thing with Mal’s

“Can we get one too?” Jay cast a sideways glance at Carlos. He chuckled when the younger teen nodded his head.

“I guess,” Evie grinned. “We’re going to have to look into what Auradon does for cold weather and take notes on what they need back home.”

“Definitely,” Mal nodded. “With Ben taking on the position of king, I can only hope we get the opportunity to make things better for the kids we left behind.”

“Wh-What about…” Carlos pressed his tongue against his lip. Jay had mentioned the situation about his parentage and he still wasn’t comfortable with the idea of potentially having Auradon blood running through his veins. He took a steadying breath then looked at Evie when he continued.

“The th-th-thing with…” Another pause while he tried to find a better way to explain his thoughts. “Our m-m-mothers?”

“Belle is trying to find the information,” Mal grimaced. “The bastard misplaced it and claims he doesn’t know where it is. He’s lucky Jay and I aren’t allowed to bother him until the memory comes back.”

“F-Fuck,” Carlos groaned. “I d-d-don’t want to know b-b-but… They left me there with my m-mother.”

“I’m planning to be the one to sort through it once the information is found,” Mal added with a sigh. “Mum made sure I was very social so it’s only fair I try to figure out who can be given the opportunity to come to Auradon.”

“What about the other kids?” Evie asked and picked a piece of dust off from her gown. “The ones with fathers or no parents at all?”

“I haven’t thought that far into it,” Mal frowned. “Situations like Carlos would need an immediate out. Kids with good relationships with their parents could get an option? Maybe school in Auradon and going home for the holidays and summer.”

“We c-could m-make a h-home for the other kids on the Isle while sorting that out,” Carlos murmured. He cleared his throat when he caught the looks of confusion Mal and Evie had. “You kn-know. Safe place with a bed, clothes, and roof over their heads. D-D-Diego could make sure they k-keep out of trouble while there. Center for l-lost boys and g-girls.”

“Brilliant,” Mal gasped. “Can one of you write down what we just said? I’ll bring it up once we get past the main issue we’ve got.”

“Got it,” Carlos nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “And th-thanks for this.” He rapidly typed into the note section then looked back up at Mal.

“Great,” She murmured. “How do we feel about changing and heading to dinner?”

“Please,” Jay grinned. “It’s about time someone ate something that isn’t pretzels, popcorn, or overly ripe fruit.”

“Hey,” Carlos groaned. “At least it was something.” He gave a laugh when Jay and Evie mumbled ‘not good enough’ under their breath.

The four changed then went to the cafeteria, grateful that the place wasn’t nearly as packed as usual. Their meal went well and the evening ended with the four sleeping together in the boys’ dorm. Carlos decided against going to class the next morning. The classes for the other three were a blur and they barely spoke once back in the boys’ dorm. Everyone felt uneasy about coronation day. Keeping close together was the only thing that eased their nerves.

Friday arrived with Evie as the first one up, grimacing since she was stuck in between Carlos and Mal. She was used to waking up in a tangle of limbs but wasn’t expecting to wake up with Mal hugging her and Carlos’s legs wrapped around hers. With nowhere to go, she was left shifting a little to see if Jay was up.

She locked eyes with him and pouted when he started laughing since he was the only one of the four that had the freedom to get up if he wanted. The cuddling from the night before had resulted in his holding onto Carlos’s hands while Carlos kept his head pressed against his chest. It would be an easy position to get out of but Jay didn’t plan on moving any time soon.

“He drools when he sleeps,” Jay wrinkled his nose and tugged his tank top down. “No nightmares though.”

“That’s nothing new,” Evie laughed. “He left a puddle on the pillow I gave him the first time he used it.”

“Charming,” Jay chuckled. “How long until we wake him and sleeping beauty?”

“Did we want breakfast this morning?” She sighed and bit her lower lip, feeling overly anxious about the day ahead.

“I’m good,” He shook his head. “Maybe grab a snack or something if they have lunch open.”

“I think we’re safe to assume Mal and Carlos feel the same way,” Evie murmured. “She made it through the night with no disturbances.”

“Huh?” Jay shifted so he could get a better look at Evie. His movement earned a groan from Carlos.

“She’s been stressed,” She whispered. “Waking up a lot during the night. I don’t think it’s nightmares but there’s something bugging her. She’s ended up in bed with me a few times since—” Her thought trailed off when Carlos gave another groan and untangled himself from between her and Jay.

“Morning already?” He whined and squeezed his eyes shut. “What time is it?”

“Good question,” Jay chuckled then sat up, eyebrows furrowing once he spotted the digital clock on Carlos’s side of the room. “Uh — Close to eleven? We’re gonna need to get up soon if we want Mal ready to see Ben.”

“So it’s decided no breakfast then,” Evie laughed. She gently poked Mal’s shoulder a few times, making a face when she didn’t budge. “Alright, waking her up is on you two. She’s got me stuck.”

“Maaaal,” Jay whined and flicked her nose. The effect was immediate since Mal’s eyes burst open, emerald green quickly taking over when she narrowed them at Jay.

Jay got out of bed and held both hands up in front of him, allowing an innocent smile to crease over his lips.

“Had to be done,” He chuckled. “You’re supposed to be meeting Ben soon.” Mal grimaced and rubbed her eyes with both hands, wincing when she realized what Jay said.

“How soon is soon?” She risked opening one eye and turned toward where Evie lay.

“Enough time for me to do your hair, makeup, and make sure you look ready to be at Ben’s side,” Evie answered in a rush. “Come on, up everyone. Boys, I’m planning to get to you two once Mal is settled.”

It took an hour and a half for hair and makeup to be set, the final touch coming when Mal tossed her gown and sneakers from the Isle on.  _ None of them had it in them to throw them out. _ There was an agreement among the four teens to keep some aspect of where they came from involved with their otherwise glamorous looks. Their old sneakers were an easy answer to that since they figured the public wouldn’t care what was on their feet.

“You look like a princess,” Mal looked up shocked, having zoned out until Jay spoke. He didn’t chuckle or anything after in the hope of her not assuming he was joking.

“Seriously,” Carlos nodded. Mal pressed her lips together and shook her head. Her nerves had her at a point of not being able to trust herself with speaking.

“My work is done,” Evie grinned. “Onto me, then making sure you two don’t embarrass us with your hair.” Carlos and Jay rolled their eyes at her statement.

“Good luck,” Carlos chuckled. “M-M-Mine just… does its own thing.” It had been that way since he could remember. Another twenty minutes passed then the four were ready, feeling awfully out of place once dressed like an Auradon citizen.

They made their way to the courtyard and were relieved to see Fairy Godmother and Ben waiting by the carriage that would be transporting him and Mal.

Evie grabbed hold of Mal’s hand and squeezed before they approached Ben. She pressed her lips together to hide her look of concern and gave Mal a sideways glance.

“You’re sure about this?” She asked and gave Mal’s hand another squeeze, meeting her gaze with a worried smile.

“Yeah,” Mal shrugged. “We’re not going after the wand so what’s the worst that will happen? The barrier won’t let any of our parents through.”

“They’re going to be pissed,” Evie shook her head. “I’m slightly thankful they don’t have cell phones back home since mom’s message wouldn’t be pretty.”

“We’re not planning on going back anytime soon so I’m not exactly worried,” Mal murmured. “Mum’s scepter won’t work unless she’s here. The only thing I’m worried about is appearing at Ben’s side for this.”

“That I can understand,” Evie offered a small smile. “I wish I could go with you but it looks like it’s customary that just the king and — Hi Ben.”

The girls’ expressions quickly changed into forced smiles when the prince approached. Jay and Carlos stood in front of them and narrowed their eyes at him.

“You’re positive nothing will happen this afternoon?” Jay arched an eyebrow. Ben nodded then took a moment to look each teen over. 

They each wore a mask of disinterest. Evie was studying her nails. Mal held the charm on her necklace between her index finger and thumb. Jay wore the same disinterested expression but hadn’t shifted his gaze from Ben. Carlos’s playing with the buttons on his blazer and occasionally glancing down at Dude was the thing to give away that the group wasn’t feeling positive about what was coming up.

“I promise,” Ben nodded. “We’ve got added security here and at the museum in case something happens. Fairy Godmother tested the dome around the Isle to make sure there isn’t anything amiss with it. All appears well.”

“Okay,” Jay lowered his brow and took a step aside so Evie and Mal could be seen. “Only you and Mal for the carriage?”

“Unfortunately,” Ben sighed. “That’s a tradition that isn’t meant to be broken. We’ll have enough of a scandal in Mal having agreed to ride in the carriage with me. I already made a statement that there will be no press conferences today as a way of mitigating that.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Mal gave a sarcastic smile when she spoke. Her teeth dug into her lower lip when her gaze met Ben’s. “What is expected of us?”

“Just be yourself,” Ben shrugged. “Snow White will probably want everyone to pause for a photo op since this is one of the first events where the public will get to see each of you, but that’s it besides needing to seem interested during my coronation. The only person to do any talking will be Fairy Godmother and me.”

“Ah there you are,” Fairy Godmother appeared at Ben’s side. She offered each teen from the Isle a warm smile, gaze lingering on Carlos a little longer than necessary. “Good to see you out and about, Carlos.”

He nodded to show he heard her but didn’t say anything, shifting awkwardly on his feet before leaning down to gingerly run his hand through Dude’s fur.

“Ready to go when you are,” Jay murmured and nudged Mal with his elbow. She gave him an annoyed look and took a steadying breath, timidly stepping forward so she could take Ben’s hand in hers.

“Ready,” She whispered then turned back toward her friends. “I’ll see you once we're in the coronation hall. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“We won’t,” Evie reassured her before Jay or Carlos could make a witty remark. Mal and Ben approached the carriage and got in, leaving the other three with Fairy Godmother.

“We’ll head over now,” Fairy Godmother announced. She took off walking and led the three toward the building where the coronation was held. Her expression faltered once she reached the beginning of the red carpet that marked the entry to the building.

“What is that?” Carlos pressed his teeth into his lower lip to keep from saying anything else.

“The carpet,” Fairy Godmother sighed. “We have it for most public events. The newspapers and magazines for Auradon have photographers assigned to give a glimpse of the coronation. Unfortunately there isn’t a way to sneak around it.”

“That’s fine,” Evie shrugged. “If we need to pose for a photo or two, so be it. Are they broadcasting this to the Isle?”

“Yes,” The headmistress answered. “If you look for a video camera with a green light on over it, that should be the one recording for the Isle. The red light is Auradon’s.”

“So a little bit of eye contact with the green one,” Evie murmured. “At least to show the people that may care about our absence that we haven’t been severely injured or anything.”

“Got it,” Jay nodded. Carlos raised his shoulders up and didn’t say anything. They approached and were a little thrown off since they could hear an adult announcing people as they arrived to enter the hall. A quick glance over revealed an over peppy Snow White as the one doing the talking.

“And we’ve got —” Snow White wasn’t given the chance to finish her sentence since Fairy Godmother protectively stepped in front of the teens from the Isle. Jay and Evie kept a neutral expression and shifted to keep Carlos out of view. They were about to keep on walking but Carlos took them by surprise.

“I’m okay,” He murmured. Jay and Evie turned to look at him, silently raising eyebrows to make sure he was certain about it. Carlos gave a nod and stepped in front of the two. Bright lights went off and left him and Jay making a face since the appearance of cameras had seemingly come from nowhere.

“Three out of four of the transfer students from the Isle,” Snow White’s words caused Fairy Godmother to look back at the teens. Evie gave a warm smile to her then turned to the camera Snow White was talking into.

“Evie Grimhilde,” She announced with a small smile. “The Evie behind the beautiful gowns and suits Mal, Jay, Carlos and I are wearing today. I owe a shout-out to Dizzy from the Isle for having provided some of the inspiration behind Mal’s look.”

“Jay,” Jay gave a nod then flashed a smile at the camera. “I wanted to thank Ben for giving us this opportunity.”

“Carlos,” Carlos mumbled. He looked into the camera for a few seconds then went back to hiding behind Evie and Jay.

Evie and Jay flashed a forced smile to the camera then kept walking, expressions faltering to a rather anxious look once they passed the red carpet that had been rolled out.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Evie asked once they caught up to Fairy Godmother. The headmistress raised an eyebrow and didn’t say anything to them.

“F-F-Fine,” Carlos shrugged. “You know they’re pl-playing it back home. N-N-Needed to show Diego I’m okay. Need to figure out communicating with home.”

Evie nodded then glanced up at Fairy Godmother, nose wrinkling when she spoke. “What comes next?”

“We’ll take our seats,” Fairy Godmother smiled. “Unfortunately there is only space for Ben, Mal, and his parents in the front. Doug was working on figuring seating out for close friends of the prince.”

“Cl-close friends?” Carlos looked rather alarmed since he wouldn’t have called anyone besides Evie, Mal, and Jay friends.

“That was what I was told,” Fairy Godmother shrugged. She was given little information in regards to guests, having worked closely with Belle and Ben to ensure there was a safe and secure exchange of power.

Carlos nodded and shifted closer to Jay, fingers brushing against the back of the older teen’s hand in an attempt at calming his nerves. He could have used a hug but they were nearly toward where Doug was standing. He couldn’t imagine how Mal felt.

Ben and Mal’s ride to the ceremony was spent mostly silent. The only sounds came from Ben occasionally asking if Mal was okay since she was being quiet and seemed a little pale.

“Fine,” Mal exhaled after the second time Ben asked if she was okay. “My mother thinks we’ll be taking the wand. The last thing she said about that was not to disappoint her.”

Ben took Mal’s hand in his and gently squeezed her fingers. Finding the words to reassure her proved to be a challenge.

“I’m proud of you,” He settled on saying after a beat of silence. “Not that saying so gets rid of the need to impress a parent. But you’ve made your choice and you’re making your own path.”

“Hopefully one that leads to a better life for every citizen of Auradon,” Mal muttered. “Not just the ones that your father decided were worthy.”

“First steps I’ll be taking as king include finding out how many children came out of my father’s idea,” He sighed. “Giving those children an option to live here, then looking into moving the most vulnerable children from the Isle someplace safe. I can’t have another Carlos on my conscience.”

“Your father?” Mal tightened her fingers around Ben’s. She wouldn’t forgive herself if it turned into Beast claiming he was keeping the throne.

“Mom made it clear he’s abdicating without an issue or the general public will be informed of his misdemeanor,” Ben shrugged. “She appears to be siding on making him spend the winter holidays on the Isle.”

“Huh?” She tilted her head to the side. “Or should I say seriously?”

“Totally serious,” He nodded. “I was going to wait until after the coronation to ask you and Jay for your opinion on how to best handle that.”

“I’ll have to think about it,” Mal murmured, looking alarmed since their carriage pulled up to the path leading to the coronation hall. Ben gave her hand one more squeeze then let go, getting out of the carriage and offering his arm to her.

Mal looped her arm around Ben’s once out of the carriage. Cameras flashed and left her blinking a few times, plastering a smile in an attempt at hiding her nerves.

People seemed shocked that Ben had her at his side and she could hear several people whispering. The main topic seemed to be concern at his having an interest in a girl from the Isle.

Ben cleared his throat when one of the reporters got too close and shifted so his arm wrapped protectively around Mal.

“I would appreciate it if the focus was on me for today,” He held his head up high and kept a neutral expression. The need to scowl and call them out for being prejudiced was quickly replaced with wanting to seem collected. “This is my girlfriend Mal. She will be aiding me in creating changes for the Isle once I take my spot on the throne.”

The cameras flashed and a few reporters tried to get more information. Ben shook his head and raised a hand to get them to stop peppering him with questions.

“I will share those intentions at a later date,” He shook his head. “Today is dedicated to the coronation. You were told there wouldn’t be a press conference.”

The reporters shrunk back and Ben glanced down at Mal, offering a nervous smile when their eyes met. They stepped into the hall and began to make their way down the long aisle that led toward where he would be crowned.

A choir began to sing and Mal briefly lost her footing, clinging onto Ben’s arm. She blushed and murmured an apology. Evie, Jay, and Carlos were nowhere to be found.

They reached the front and Ben pressed a kiss to her forehead then guided her to her seat. Relief washed over when she discovered her friends were in the row behind her. Evie flashed a smile and Carlos gave her a thumbs up.

Ben took a seat beside his mother and refused to look at his father. Adam seemed rather tense but was maintaining a calm front. Fairy Godmother approached the podium at the front of the cathedral and tapped her wand against it.

The hall went silent and all attention was on her. She called Ben and Adam forward and the two stood on either side of her.

“We are gathered here today to crown a new king,” She announced with a small smile. “Prince Benjamin if you could please step forward.”

Ben did what she asked and narrowed his eyes at his father. He tried not to show any animosity toward him but it was proving to be a challenge now that they were ready to transition.

Fairy Godmother went through the act of crowning a new king and dismissing the old one. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos didn’t pay much attention to it so the words and sentences that were exchanged didn’t mean anything to them.

Adam gave his crown up after a moment of hesitation but didn’t say anything on the matter. Belle and Ben were left looking rather relieved.

“Queen Belle will maintain her title until Ben has settled into his role,” The words caused Mal and Evie to look up. “Are there any objections to the transition of the king title going from father to son?”

Everyone was silent then a loud gasp escaped from the crowd. A teen had surged forward and taken hold of Fairy Godmother’s wand, wrestling it from her grasp.

“Who decided he is the one to be king?” Chad growled out. It took all of his strength to keep hold of the wand since the magic was trying to get it out of his grasp.

Another set of loud gasps were heard since a light flashed from the wand and went through the roof, piercing the dome that separated Auradon and the Isle. The ground shook and people leaped from their chairs. Fairy Godmother wasn’t close enough to reclaim the wand.

Mal winced and stood up, quickly approaching the blond teen and scowling at him when she took the wand from him. He glared right back at her then shook his head.

“See, I told you she was no good!” His claim caused Carlos, Evie, and Jay to appear behind her. The three narrowed their eyes at him. “None of them are.”

“We wouldn’t be in this predicament if you hadn’t grabbed the wand,” Mal spoke through gritted teeth. She could feel the power of the wand surging through her body. It was an intoxicating sort of feeling that left her questioning what could be done with it.

“Mal,” Jay hissed out. “I think it’s time to give it back to Fairy Godmother now that things are under control.”

He and the others took a step back since they could feel the magical energy coming off Mal. She wasn’t given the chance to say anything since a high pitched shriek came from one of the attendees. A few horrified gasps echoed after.

A green-colored fog was coming through the hole in the ceiling. It continued until it took over where Ben, his father, and Fairy Godmother stood. Mal took a step back so she was in front of her friends, jaw clenching in defiance.

The fog swirled and a maniacal laugh was heard from the center of it, horrified shrieks echoing when Maleficent walked out of it.

She had her scepter in hand and glared at everyone, slowly turning on her heel so she could face her daughter.

“Maaaal,” She spoke her daughter’s name in a singsong. “You were taking too long so I figured I would drop by. The wand.”

“No,” Mal shook her head and stuck the hand with the wand behind her back. She cast a worried look in Fairy Godmother’s direction. The headmistress took a step toward where the teens stood, casually moving forward when Maleficent began to berate Mal and her acquaintances.

“One little task,” Maleficent growled. Her gaze went from her daughter to Jay, Carlos, and Evie. Her glare deepened once back on Mal. “One easy little task and you can’t even do that right. Give me the wand.”

“No,” Mal said again. Maleficent gave a loud laugh and pointed her staff at her daughter, her scowl growing the longer she looked at Mal.

“You’re funny,” She shook her head. “ _ Here _ . Just wait until we get home, young lady.”

“We’re not going home yet,” Mal announced. She took a step forward and threw the wand at Fairy Godmother, looking relieved when she caught it.

Fairy Godmother waved the wand, a spell on the tip of her tongue when she was suddenly frozen. The words never escaped and a hush fell over the crowd. A quick glance around revealed that Maleficent had frozen everyone but Mal and her friends.

“I’ll be taking that,” Maleficent announced and pulled the wand from Fairy Godmother’s hand. Carlos whimpered and Jay nudged him in an attempt to get him to quiet down. They were face to face with Maleficent.


	19. A Simple Task

“One simple task,” Maleficent glowered at Carlos. His whimper from seconds before had earned him her full attention. “Something the four of you should have completed over a month ago.”

Carlos stumbled back when he caught Maleficent’s gaze. His teeth dug into his lower lip and he curled into himself, jumping slightly since Jay rested a hand against the small of his back for a brief moment. The two exchanged a glance then Jay brought his arm back to his side.

Mal and Evie shifted uncomfortably and didn’t say anything. None of them wanted to do something that risked unleashing Maleficent’s inner dragon.

“Your parents will be so disappointed when they hear you didn’t immediately try to go after the wand to redeem them,” She shifted her gaze to Jay and gave a loud laugh when the teen moved so he was slightly in front of Carlos. “We raised you better than that. Now, where do I begin?”

The teens kept quiet, holding their breath while they waited to see what Maleficent decided to do. She approached where Ben stood and took the crown off his head, opting to stick it around his wrist instead.

“Fallen in love have you now, Mal?” Mal narrowed her eyes at her mother and bit the inside of her lip to keep from snapping at her. With the wand and the scepter in hand, there was no knowing just how far Maleficent would take things. “Ridiculous. It’s not something you want.”

“Have you ever asked me what I want?” Mal’s voice shook when she finally found the courage to say something. Love certainly wasn’t on her list of wants but she wasn’t going to get into that — not with Maleficent posing as a threat to Auradon and the security she and the others wanted to push on the Isle.

Maleficent raised an eyebrow at her daughter, daring her to continue. A small scoff was heard when Mal spoke again.

“I’m not you.” She murmured, stumbling backward when Maleficent took a step in her direction.

“Well obviously not,” Maleficent scowled. “I would have secured the wand within a week of arriving in Auradon. You’ll get there with practice. Allow me to show you.”

“No I won’t,” Mal shook her head. “Sometimes I wish you hadn’t gotten so far into things yourself.”

There was a beat of silence where mother and daughter glared at each other. When Maleficent didn’t immediately say anything, Mal took a chance to continue.

“And there isn’t anything weak about love,” She grimaced. “Not when it comes to the friends that I have.”

“I assure you that you and your ‘friends,’” Maleficent made a face at the term. “Have no room for love in your lives. Not with the way you were raised.”

“Liar,” Jay hissed out. He stood up tall when Maleficent turned on him, eyes narrowing to meet the scowl she gave him.

“Excuse me,” Maleficent growled. Jay smirked and shrugged his shoulders, rolling his eyes when he muttered about her hearing what he said.

His moment of defiance was short-lived since Maleficent pointed the wand at him, eyes going green when they met his brown orbs. Jay stood his ground and didn’t back down, only flinching when Mal demanded the wand to come to her side.

“Holy shit. That worked,” She exhaled when it slipped out of her mother’s fingers and floated to her side. Mal firmly grasped the wand and stared at Maleficent. “I would think again before you try threatening one of my friends.”

“And I would think again before trying to threaten me, little girl,” Maleficent’s nostrils flared while she looked her daughter over. “You will regret trying to defy me. Each and every one of you.”

Jay, Carlos, and Evie huddled close together, taking a step forward so they were directly behind Mal. Not knowing what to expect left the trio feeling overly anxious. Carlos was trembling and Evie was doing her best not to panic. Jay kept quiet since Maleficent had proven she could make him miserable even though he wasn’t her child.

“Give me the wand, Mal,” Maleficent snapped. Mal shook her head and tried to seem like she was being courageous. Inside, her thoughts were reeling. Maleficent usually opted for smacking her around the head when her insolence got out of hand. She had yet to do anything and the looming threat left her terrified of what would follow.

“I won’t,” She shook her head again. “I can’t let you ruin the chance I have at fixing things back home.”

“Fixing things back home?” Maleficent cackled. “Do you seriously think Auradon will help you with all that?”

“We won’t know if we don’t get the chance to try,” Mal winced. “Don’t ruin it, mother.”

“You’re a disappointment,” Maleficent spat out. “You have three seconds to give me the wand before I make the damage you’ve done to me and the other parents clear. One, two —”

“Don’t do it,” Jay stood in front of Mal. She hadn’t moved to hand the wand over but looked as though she needed a barrier between her and Maleficent.

“Seriously?” Maleficent snarled. “You could have had any of the children on the Isle and decided on the two-bit salesman’s kid as your sidekick?”

“I never said or signed anything stating my loyalties were to you or your daughter,” He scowled. “So keep my father out of this.”

“Mother,” Mal exhaled and took a step to Jay’s left so she could be seen. “Wipe their memories or perform a time-traveling spell that makes it so we go back to before the barrier broke and stay on the Isle.” She somehow managed to keep an even tone while she spoke. It was a miracle her voice didn’t end up shaking.

“It’ll be worthwhile to do so.” She added and pressed her lips together. Evie and Carlos exchanged worried looks with one another. Maleficent’s arrival in Auradon left them questioning if anyone else knew the barrier was broken.

“Worthwhile,” Maleficent scoffed. “The only thing worthwhile is being able to settle the score between Auradon and the Isle.”

Mal winced and rubbed the back of her neck, carefully choosing how to explain the thoughts running through her mind.

“What if I said our new plan involved sending the beast to the Isle?” She asked and met her mother’s gaze to show she was serious. There was a moment of hesitation, made clear when Maleficent opened and slowly snapped her mouth shut, before Mal continued.

“We figured out a way to send Beast to the Isle with us over the winter holidays,” She stood up straight and looked her mother in the eye while she spoke. Lying to the woman that taught her how to lie wasn’t part of her plan for the evening but if it meant saving her and the others, it would have to be done.

Maleficent was quiet, looking over each teenager to see if her daughter was bluffing. There was no uncomfortable shifting from Cruella’s brat, no haughty looks from Evie, and Jafar’s bastard had given a nod while Mal was speaking. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary from the three. 

Her gaze finally settled on Carlos since he was the least likely to lie of the group. One stammered sentence from the runt and it would be her sending them back home for the adults to deal with.

“Carlos,” There was a hint of venom in Maleficent’s tone that made his name come out as a hiss. She paused to see if referring to him by name would make him squirm. “Is what she says true?”

Carlos slowly brought his head up so he could look Maleficent in the eye. The pause to let his name sink in that she gave was his one saving grace. It gave him a moment to anticipate the direction her question was going in. He had mere seconds to come up with an answer before it would be counted as stalling and ruin whatever Mal was getting at.

“Yes ma’am,” He nodded twice in an attempt to further support his words. “We have a plan in place to smuggle him in. A chance for you and the others to get back at him for imprisoning us.”

“So he can see the chaos he created while making sure Auradon wants for nothing,” Evie added. “We couldn’t mention it with Fairy Godmother in the room or we would have said something sooner.”

“We’d be using a similar sleeping spell to the one you used,” Jay shrugged. “Steal the limousine and the remote to the barrier and be back on the Isle before the sun comes up on the last day of the semester.”

“Pretty fool-proof since they have less guards around for the holidays,” Carlos took his gaze off Maleficent and turned toward Mal. “We have it planned so there are at least five hours before they notice what happened.”

“Wouldn’t giving him a taste of his own medicine be a more practical use of revenge?” Mal asked. “He’s the main cause of our problems since he made the Isle and decided who goes there and who doesn’t.”

Each teen gave Maleficent a serious look, their stance unchanging after adding a part to the lie Mal and Carlos concocted. Maleficent narrowed her eyes at Mal, looking over her daughter for any hints toward the whole thing being a lie.

No stammering from Carlos, Evie wearing an expression similar to the one Grimhilde used when serious about plotting a scheme, and Jay maintaining his usual amount of confidence.

“What happens when they realize he’s gone missing?” Maleficent narrowed her eyes at Carlos. He took a small breath then shrugged his shoulders.

“It will be obvious it was us since we’ll be gone,” He murmured and looked up at Maleficent. Keeping to short sentences was the only way he could make it through his thoughts without stumbling over words. There was too much riding on the lie to risk letting his nerves ruin it. She had to be questioning him since his mother made sure he knew not to lie to her or the other adults. 

“They must have a second remote to the barrier,” He shrugged. “But that’s not something to worry about.”

“Why do you say that?” She raised an eyebrow, gaze lingering on Cruella’s mutt. Auradon had given him a backbone that would lead to his mother flipping out if he came back home with the confidence to properly look adults in the eye.

“He’ll have been in your clutches for a few hours,” Carlos answered. “That’s more than enough time to see what he doomed the Isle to.”

“And be punished for it,” Maleficent mused. Carlos nodded then shrunk back so he was behind Jay and Evie. He had done his part in the undiscussed plan and it involved more talking to Maleficent than he expected.

“Impressive,” The villain mused after a moment spent looking each teen over with a calculated gaze. None of them shifted uncomfortably or tried to avoid her eyes. “Thoroughly planned out with no care about what happens once caught. Like a true villain.”

Mal held her breath to keep from giving her emotions away. Her mother seemed proud of her - of them - for the first time and it was all because of a lie. She should have been proud of it but her stomach was in knots, waiting to see if it was just a ruse before Maleficent forced them back to the Isle to be dealt with for lying to her face.

“I will take my leave now,” She didn’t announce how she felt in regards to their plan but the slight shift in her facial expression would leave them thinking she was impressed with them. “I expect to see each on the Isle come December or else.”

“Yes, mother,” Mal nodded. Evie gave a nod as well and stepped aside so Carlos was visible once more.

“We’ll bring the king with us,” Jay smirked. Carlos nodded from beside him. Maleficent looked around the room then went to raise her scepter, looking concerned when Mal blurted out the word ‘wait.’

“No signs that you were here,” Mal narrowed her eyes at Maleficent then walked toward where Ben stood. She rolled her eyes and placed the crown back on his head. “What spell are you using?”

“A time changing spell,” Maleficent scoffed at her daughter. “Nothing you need to learn since you aren’t nearly as powerful as me.”

“Of course,” Mal muttered then stepped back so she was with her friends. Carlos, Jay, and Evie took a step forward to close the distance between them and Mal. Maleficent looked them over once more and tapped her scepter against the ground.

Time rewound to the point just before Chad took hold of the wand. There was no hole in the ceiling and Maleficent was no longer in the room. Carlos, Jay, and Evie wore confused expressions at being back in their chairs. The wand was back in Fairy Godmother’s hand and the coronation continued as before. No one seemed to know Maleficent had been there.

“Are there any objections to the transition of the king title going from father to son?” There was a beat of silence then Chad leaped forward and took the wand from Fairy Godmother.

The crowd gave a shocked gasp and a few people screamed since he couldn’t keep a good grip on the wand. A flash of light burst from the wand and put a hole in the ceiling. The ground shook and more screams echoed in the coronation hall.

“He broke the barrier,” Carlos cried out. “The same th-thing happened when I—” He hiccoughed and curled into himself. The bottled up emotions of having been face to face with Maleficent came out all at once, leaving him sobbing uncontrollably. Evie leaned against him and Jay jumped out of his seat in case Mal needed backup.

Mal stepped forward and took the wand from Chad, quickly tossing a glance up at the hole in the ceiling to make sure the green fog from her mother hadn’t appeared.

“See, I told you!” Chad shouted and glared at Mal. “She wanted the wand for herself.”

“Let it go, Chad,” Jay growled out. The blond rolled his eyes and took a step back, looking alarmed since a member of the royal guard was right behind him. Mal took a steadying breath then offered the wand to Fairy Godmother.

“Check the Isle and Auradon,” Fairy Godmother called out to one of the other guards then waved her wand over her head. Mal and Jay looked up at the hole in the ceiling. There was a flash of silver light and a small humming sound. They watched a crack in the sky above mend itself.

“The barrier is secure,” She continued. Her words were followed by another wave of her wand. The silent spell caused a warm feeling to spread through each person attending the coronation.

“No unwanted guests in the premises,” The headmistress announced with a shake of her head then turned to look at the Isle children. Jay and Mal seemed unaffected by the turn of events. Evie was trying to calm a sobbing Carlos and was quickly running out of ideas since nothing was working.

“All villains accounted for, with no extra guests in Auradon,” One of the guards spoke loud enough to be heard over the murmuring crowd. “What do you want us to do with this one?” He asked and narrowed his eyes at Chad.

“I’ll take him from here,” Cinderella’s soft voice caused the people by Chad to quiet down. All eyes were on the teenager that dared touch Fairy Godmother’s wand. Cinderella murmured an apology to Ben and Belle then placed a hand on her son’s shoulder.

“We’re going back home to discuss the consequences of your actions,” She whispered since she didn’t want to make a scene. “I expect apology letters to Ben and Belle and one to the teens from the Isle since you appear to have scared them.”

“Mom,” Chad went to whine and thought better of it since Cinderella raised an eyebrow at him. She didn’t need to give stern looks or frown to make it known she was disappointed by his behavior. “Fine.”

The two left the hall, with Prince Charming slowly following behind his wife and son.

The crowd resumed talking after that and Mal and Jay returned to where Evie and Carlos were. Jay’s expression faltered when he realized Carlos was still crying. He pressed his lips together then sat beside him.

There was a moment of hesitation then Jay joined in on the hug Evie was giving Carlos. Mal wrinkled her nose and joined as well, the four quiet for a moment while they held onto each other.

“We did it,” Mal whispered when she took a step back. She went to say something else and immediately snapped her mouth shut since Belle and Adam approached, awkwardly standing a few feet away from them. Jay and Evie looked up then narrowed their eyes at the beast.

Belle and Adam exchanged cautious looks with one another. They weren’t sure about how to approach since Adam hadn’t been the most cheerful when it came to meeting the exchange students. Jay, Evie, and Mal exchanged a glance then Mal scowled at Adam.

“I believe we owe you a thank you for recognizing the broken barrier,” Adam announced. Mal and Jay promptly stood in front of where Evie and Carlos sat, not wanting him anywhere near either of them. 

Jay’s nostrils flared while he glared at the ex-king. The memory of the shocked gasps that were earned when Carlos revealed his scars to everyone was still fresh. Adam hadn’t said anything about the damage done and that was one of many reasons why the villain kids didn’t trust him.

“More like an apology,” Jay snarled. Mal cast him a sideways glance but didn’t say anything. The adults may have been Ben’s parents but they had done her and her friends a great disservice.

“Yes, an apology,” Belle sighed. She placed her hand around her husband’s wrist then gently squeezed, hoping that would encourage him to be the one to right his wrong. Adam stared at Jay then shifted his gaze to Mal. He didn’t say anything and tugged his arm out of Belle’s grasp, promptly leaving the coronation hall.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Mal was the first to break the silence that fell over her, Jay, Evie, and Belle. Carlos sniffled and uncurled from the ball he contorted his body into.

“C-C-Can we go?” He whispered loud enough for Evie to hear. She nodded then took him by the hand.

“We’ll catch up later,” Evie murmured to Jay and Mal then led Carlos back to his dorm.

Jay and Mal shifted uncomfortably. Belle wasn’t exactly a threat but she was married to the man that made their life a living hell. They stood near each other while the crowd left to head to the dinner party that was scheduled after the Coronation. The only people left in the hall were Ben, Belle, Mal, Jay, and Fairy Godmother.

“Thank you,” Fairy Godmother whispered once the last guest left. Mal and Jay simply shrugged in response.

“It’s only because Carlos burst a hole in the barrier back on the Isle. Not bad enough as that one,” Jay pointed at the hole in the ceiling. “But the aftershock of it was similar to what Chad caused.”

“No quick reaction would have left Auradon at risk,” Ben shook his head. “Is Carlos okay?”

“I don’t know,” Jay shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “He may not talk for a few weeks since that was particularly scary for him.”

“If there is anything I can do please let me know,” Ben sighed then shifted his attention to Mal. “Is now a good time to talk about my father?”

Mal glanced at Jay then looked to Fairy Godmother and Belle. Neither adult seemed anxious about the conversation that was bound to come.

“It’s not too soon to talk about it?” Mal asked. Jay’s eyebrows furrowed together then he asked, “Talk about what?”

“The plan we have for my father,” Ben sighed. Jay and Mal exchanged a look then shrugged.

“Go for it,” Mal murmured. Jay took a step closer to her then looked at Ben.

“We think it’s fair that my father spends a few days on the Isle,” He shrugged. “So he can see the damage he’s done to you and the other children.”

Jay raised an eyebrow at Mal and she gave him a look that said they’d discuss it later.

“Why does that include us?” Jay settled on asking. “Or should I ask why you need our input?”

“We need a safe way to do it,” Ben sighed. “I’ll have to send a guard with him since we don’t want him severely injured over there, but we know he isn’t anyone’s favorite.”

“Why not send him to stay with Anastasia?” Mal quirked a brow. Jay quickly shook his head.

“Not the best idea,” He chimed in. “Not when she should have been in Auradon instead of doomed to the Isle.”

“She’s the least likely to cause him any harm regardless of Lady Tremaine’s opinion on that,” Mal muttered. “Our parents have several bones to pick with him and the pirates can’t be trusted. I doubt you can come up with a better option.”

There was a moment of silence where Jay carefully thought over each villain from the Isle then he groaned.

“You’re right,” He frowned. “Plus, it means Anthony giving him an earful about how miserable he is.”

“How do you plan on getting in contact with Anastasia?” Mal looked up at Fairy Godmother.

“Ben will be doing a video call to run the idea by her,” She answered. “We want him there from the 23rd to the 27th of December.”

“What’s so special about those days?” Mal and Jay asked at the same time. The Isle didn’t celebrate holidays and they only ever kept track of important dates by watching the fireworks that went off over the barrier.

“Our family celebrates Christmas,” Belle pressed her lips together to keep from frowning. “That would place him on the Isle during the holiday and make him aware that it isn’t celebrated there.”

“We don’t even do birthdays,” Jay mumbled. “No way of knowing when most of us were born.”

“Me and Evie’s mom’s cared enough to note the date down,” Mal shrugged.

“Yeah, and mine abandoned me on my dad’s doorstep,” He chuckled. Ben, Belle, and Fairy Godmother looked concerned.

“Speaking of birthdays,” Mal grimaced. “Has he made any progress on finding the information for his program?”

“Not yet,” Belle murmured. “He, Lumiere, and I have been going through filing cabinets. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be looking for but he claims it was filed away.”

“I’ll let you know the moment we find it,” Ben sighed. “I hate not knowing what the organizational system for it is since we’re going to need to go through a lot of work to sort it out.”

“We’ll get it done,” Mal nodded then turned to Jay. “Uh- I should have told you earlier, but my mom won’t be on the list.”

“Won’t be on the list?” Jay looked confused. “You told me you don’t know who your father is.”

“Yeah,” Mal shrugged. “That was a lie since I was afraid of scaring you away from me. I suppose you all should know as well.”

Jay, Ben, and the adults were silent, waiting for Mal to continue. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, looking at Jay when she spoke.

“Hades is my father,” She pressed her lips together to hide the frown that was trying to take over her lips. “As in the god of the underworld. I’ve known since I was ten and was too embarrassed to share.”

“Hades,” Jay cocked his head to the side and made a face. “I don’t see any resemblance.”

“Yeah, well he’s the only person mom’s ever dated,” She shuddered. “She said my birth was what ruined their relationship.”

“Holy crap,” He whispered. “That makes you one of the most powerful people to come from the Isle.”

“I’m aware of that,” Mal scoffed. “That’s why Evie was the only one I trusted with the secret.” She shifted her gaze to Ben and Belle. “My parentage isn’t something to worry about since he wants nothing to do with me. I don’t feel comfortable working to better things for Auradon and the Isle without you knowing though.”

“We can’t judge you for that,” Belle shook her head. “Not after what my husband did. That’s a wrong that needs to be righted before we can cast any sort of judgment on you, your friends, or the other children.”

“I appreciate hearing that,” Mal murmured. “Me too,” Jay added with a nod of his head.

“You should go check on Carlos,” Ben added. “Is there anything I should know about Anastasia before I go to look into scheduling that call with her?”

“It’s her, her husband, then maybe six kids? I lost count and they all have ‘An’ at the start of their name,” Mal shrugged. “They seem happy but Lady Tremaine has her oldest grandson brainwashed into thinking his mother should have been in Auradon since she redeemed herself.”

“Ah,” Ben pressed his lips together to suppress a scowl. “That’s important to know. I’ll do my best to be mindful of that.”

Mal nodded. She and Jay murmured a thank you to Belle and Fairy Godmother before heading back to Jay’s dorm. They took a small detour so Mal could change out of her gown and toss on something comfier. Their arrival back was announced by Jay lightly tapping his fist against the door.

Evie answered and brought a finger up to her lips, casting a glance behind her to show a sleeping Carlos, with Dude curled up beside him, before she fully stepped aside to let them in.

“I got him to take a shower before he passed out,” She murmured. “But he’s in rough shape. I think we’re going to need to assign one of us to him for the next week or two.”

“I figured,” Mal whispered. “Did he say anything?”

“Nothing besides sniffling,” Evie shook her head. “I didn’t want to risk having him meltdown again. You know how much it takes out of him.”

“Should I set the beds up for everyone staying here again?” Jay asked. “We can assign someone to keep an eye on him like back at the hideout.”

“Seems like a good idea,” Mal nodded. “Evie, how long has he been out for?”

“Hmm,” Evie glanced at the digital clock by Carlos’s bed. “About twenty minutes.”

“We’ll give him another ten, then we need to talk as a group,” Mal murmured and tugged a few bobby-pins out of her hair. “That’s enough time for you to change out of your gown and come back with the necessities we’ll need while cooped up in here.”

“On it,” Evie nodded. “Jay do you need anything from my dorm while I’m at it?”

“No,” He shook his head. “Not unless you’ve got treats for Dude. Our tin is getting low.”

“We might,” Evie grinned then left to change. Mal and Jay exchanged an uneasy glance with each other.

“How do we go about explaining this?” Mal grimaced and looked over at Carlos. He was shivering beneath his comforter. “He’s the one I’m worried about not handling things well.”

“Just tell the truth,” Jay shrugged. Mal gave a bitter laugh at the suggestion and shook her head.

“Yeah,” She scowled. “That’ll go well — Telling them both the plan we came up with to fool my mother is half happening. They’ll both flip out.”

“It’s only Beast going,” Jay murmured. “The rest of us will be here and our parents don’t need to know the plan is fake.”

“That’s not what I—” Mal groaned and ran both hands through her hair. “I still don’t understand how we convinced her,” Mal added with another shake of her head. “And I don’t plan on tipping her off that we’re not sending him to her but — You realize we’re goners if we ever set foot on the Isle again? She’ll have us blacklisted from everything.”

“Take a breath, Mal,” Jay gave her a concerned look. She had gone from calmly talking to pacing and rambling at a speed he could barely keep up with. “We’ll deal with that if there’s a time where we need to set foot on the Isle again.”

He had a feeling the day would come before the end of the year if they were going to stick to the plan of transferring more children into Auradon but that was the least worrisome part of everything else that needed to be done.

“We’re going to have to,” She whined and continued to pace, pausing when she reached Carlos’s half of the dorm. Mal dug her teeth into her lower lip and looked him over, regretting what would come next.

“‘Los,” She exhaled and sat on the edge of his bed. He didn’t budge so she cautiously reached forward and poked his arm. Carlos flinched awake and looked terrified, staring at Mal for several seconds before remembering they were at school.

He clenched his jaw to keep from saying anything then slowly sat up, keeping his comforter wrapped around him like a cape. Dude growled at her then relaxed once Carlos pet him.

Carlos’s gaze shifted from Mal to Jay and he crossed his arms over his chest. A slight pout took over his lips. It would serve as the only sign that he would give toward being unhappy about being woken up.

“We have to talk,” Mal muttered and glanced at the door. Evie hadn’t returned yet. “Or you can listen — whatever you’re feeling like doing.”

Carlos raised a brow then shrugged, letting one hand slip out from beneath his comforter so he could point at his ear. He didn’t want to do any more talking after facing Maleficent.

There was a light tap at the door then Evie stepped into the room. She and Mal’s toothbrushes were in her hand and she was in her nightdress.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Her expression faltered when she spotted Mal and Carlos sitting together.

“Definitely not,” Jay shook his head. “You’re just in time to join our talk though.” He glanced at Mal to see if she wanted him to continue or take over from there. She gave the slightest shake of her head to show she wasn’t ready.

“You may want to get comfortable. Mal and I have some rather unsettling news,” He sighed. Evie made a face then sat on the other side of Carlos. Mal dug her teeth into her lower lip, giving Evie and Carlos a sideways glance before she got up to stand beside Jay.

“Ben spoke to us after the coronation,” Jay continued. “They appear to have reached an agreement toward how to handle Beast’s actions.”

Evie and Carlos looked a little confused. Jay pressed his tongue against his cheek then turned toward Mal.

“Do you want the honor or should I say it?” He grimaced. Mal made a face then took a steadying breath, staring at Evie before she spoke.

“They want to have him spend a few days with the Tremaine family,” She announced. “Anastasia specifically.”

“What?” Carlos blanched. “Why would they want…” He trailed off and shook his head. “I thought — Wasn’t that just meant- meant t-t-t-to be pretend?”

His eyes darted from Mal to Jay then back again, waiting for one of them to claim they were joking.

“They don’t know my mother made an appearance,” Mal shook her head. “Came up with the idea on their own. I tossed Anastasia out as a suggestion since she’s the least villainous of the villains.”

“Isn’t she the one that was surprised she and her husband were tossed into the mix of people sent to the Isle?” Evie tilted her head to the side.

“Yeah,” Jay grumbled. “But it was that or having one of the pirates or one of our parents deal with him.”

“They mentioned assigning an undercover guard to him too,” Mal looked over at Carlos. He hadn’t said anything else and wasn’t looking at her or Jay. “I- Carlos say something please.”

The younger teen’s head snapped up and he stared at Mal. “N-nothing to say.”

“Your look says otherwise,” She narrowed her eyes at him. He shook his head and looked down at Dude.

“N-n-nothing,” He repeated. “It’s only a few d-d-days? Our p-p-parents won’t know?”

“No, at least not until rumors start to spread,” Mal shook her head. “I may need to convince them to pay Anthony to keep his mouth shut. Even then though, would they really believe it?”

“Does this mean needing to tell them how to dress him like he lives on the Isle?” Evie quirked a brow.

“I—” Mal hesitated. “Didn’t think about that. I suppose we’ll have to if we don’t want to risk his safety.”

Her statement earned a forced laugh from Carlos. Mal cast a confused look in his direction.

“Sorry,” He winced. “It’s j-just… He didn’t care much about any of our safety. Why are w-we wanting to worry about him?”

“Goodness Class has me wondering if the whole idea is worth following through on,” Mal made a face. “But he hasn’t shown any remorse. It’s a few days stuck on the Isle getting a taste of what he created. What’s the worst that could happen?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have reached the ending of Even Villains Love their Kids. Its sequel 'A Taste of Evil' has one chapter up and will be serving as my new work in progress while the pandemic continues on. Thank you for reading/following. I appreciate the support.


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